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Bmmmini 


11 


Hi.  liTAl^DARD 
VlNIKGCOr"'- 


TST   rear 


tihraty  of  €he  trheolo^ical  ^eminarjp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


PRESENTED  BY 

The  Estate   of  the 
Rev.    John  B.    V/ledinger 

BV   1533    .T467    1917 
Thoroughly  furnished 


THE    NEW  WESTMINSTER    STANDARD   COURSE 
FOR  TEACHER  TRAINING 

That  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works 


II  Timothy  3:17 


FIRST  YEAR,  PART  I 
THE    PUPIL 


BY  H.  T.  J.  COLEMAN,  B.A.,  Ph.D., 

DEAN  OF  THE    FACULTY  OF  EDUCATION,  QUEEN's   UNIVERSITY, 
KINGSTON,  ONTARIO 


The  books  of  this  course  are  based  on  the  standard 

adopted    by  the    Sunday   School   Council   of 

Evangelical  Denominations  and  approved 

by  the  International  Sunday  School 

Association 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

THE    WESTMINSTER   PRESS 

1919 


Study  to  shew  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the 
word  of  truth. 

All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profit- 
able for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness: 

That  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works. 

II  Timothy  2:  15;  3:16,  17. 


Copyright,  1917 
By  F.  M.  BraselmaiM 


FOREWORD 

The  outlines  of  the  Standard  Teacher  Training  Course  as  approved 
by  the  Sunday  School  Council  of  Evangehcal  Denominations  and  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association  provide  for  three  years  of 
forty  lessons  each. 

The  outline  of  the  first  year's  work,  including  the  subjects  deemed 
most  vital  in  the  workers'  training,  is  as  follows: 

Part  I.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Pupil. 

Part  II.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Principles  of  Teaching,  with  emphasis 
on  general  psychology. 

Part  III.  Ten  Lessons  on  How  to  Teach  the  Life  of  Christ  in  the 
different  grades. 

Part  IV.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Sunday  School,  being  an  outline  of 
the  aim,  curriculum,  and  organization  of  the  modern  Sunday  school. 

When  the  new  course  for  the  first  year  is  compared  with  the  previous 
First  Standard  Course,  it  will  be  noted  that  an  increased  amount  of 
BibHcal  knowledge  is  necessary  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  Those 
who  prepared  the  outline,  as  well  as  the  writers  of  the  lessons,  assume 
that  a  fairly  good  knowledge  of  the  Bible  has  been  gained  by  the 
members  of  the  class  during  the  Intermediate  and  Senior  years  of  the 
Sunday  school. 

The  arrangement  of  these  lessons  calls  for  much  classroom  discus- 
sion and  outside  observation.  This  is  a  most  valuable  method.  The 
careful  assignment  of  each  lesson  will  prove  helpful. 


STUDY  I 

THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES 

Nowhere  in  the  Bible  do  we  find  any  systematic  treatment  of  the 
problems  of  education,  either  from  the  standpoint  of  the  child  who  is 
to  be  educated  or  from  the  standpoint  of  the  general  agencies  and  the 
particular  means  through  which  the  work  of  education  is  to  be  accom- 
pHshed.  Any  careful  study  of  Scripture  will,  however,  reveal  certain 
important  truths  as  to  child  nature  and  nurture  which  lie  at  the  base 
of  all  genuine  religious  instruction  and  religious  training. 

1.  Children  are  in  a  peculiar  sense  the  gift  of  God. — The  names  of 
Old  Testament  characters  which  sound  at  times  so  old-fashioned  in 
our  ears  bear  abundant  witness  to  the  behef  of  the  Hebrews  in  God's 
interest  in  the  young,  God's  care  for  the  young,  and  the  divine  sum- 
mons which  serves  as  the  basis  of  the  universal  instinct  of  parenthood. 
In  this  respect  the  Hebrews  were  a  unique  people,  and  mankind  has 
still  much  to  learn  from  the  example  and  the  spirit  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. The  Scriptures  go  beyond  all  other  Hteratures  in  their  glorifi- 
cation of  the  joys  of  parenthood  and  in  the  exaltation  of  the  parental 
office.  The  story  of  Hannah's  prayers  for  a  son,  of  her  self-denying 
devotion  of  the  young  Samuel  to  the  service  of  Jehovah,  and  of  the 
tender  soHcitude  with  which  she  followed  his  widening  career  of  use- 
fulness, is  as  beautiful  as  it  is  brief,  while  in  the  mother  of  our  Lord 
we  have  revealed  to  us  a  type  of  womanhood  to  which  all  succeeding 
ages  have  granted  a  homage  which  has  been  as  instinctive  as  it  has 
been  unreserved. 

There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  many  of  the  graver  problems  of 
present-day  life  would  disappear  if  all  parents  could  truly  feel  that 
the  gift  of  a  child  is  a  mark  of  divine  favor  and  that  the  care  and  nur- 
ture of  the  child  is  a  pecuHarly  acceptable  form  of  divine  service. 

2.  The  child  may  easily  be  made  the  victim  of  mistaken  kindness. — 
"He  that  spareth  his  rod  hateth  his  son;  but  he  that  loveth  him 
chasteneth  him  betimes."  So  runs  a  verse  of  Proverbs  which  has  met 
with  strong  objection  from  some  modern  educators.  But  while  the 
Hebrews  beheved  in  the  use  of  the  rod,  they  thought  of  it,  not  as  a 

5 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

means  of  producing  insensibility  to  physical  pain,  as  the  Spartans  did, 
but  as  a  means  of  moral  purification  and  salvation.  Certain  other 
proverbs  will  make  this  clear:  "Foohshness  is  bound  up  in  the  heart 
of  a  child;  but  the  rod  of  correction  shall  drive  it  far  from  him;" 
''the  rod  and  reproof  give  wisdom;  but  a  child  left  to  himself  causeth 
shame  to  his  mother." 

There  seems  to  be  at  first  reading  a  decided  flavor  of  barbarity  about 
these  statements,  but  the  fair-minded  reader,  while  conceding  to  them 
a  certain  degree  of  harshness  borrowed  from  the  age  in  which  they 
were  made,  will  recall  that  in  every  case  the  motive  of  love  for  the 
child  is  insisted  upon  as  a  necessary  condition  of  any  salutary  moral 
effect.  And  is  not  the  attitude  inculcated  in  these  proverbs  essentially 
a  sound  one?  How  many  modern  mothers  are  brought  to  shame 
through  refraining  from  timely  and  sufiiciently  stern  reproof  of  childish 
thoughtlessness  and  rudeness?  Then  again,  modern  psychology,  in 
its  insistence  upon  the  fact  that  child  nature  contains  in  it  many  un- 
wholesome survivals  from  its  animal  and  savage  ancestry,  makes  the 
suppression  of  these  traits  a  matter  of  such  importance  that  the  use 
of  the  rod,  when  other  methods  have  clearly  failed,  may  be  the  greatest 
of  kindnesses. 

That  the  amount  of  physical  suffering  necessary  under  normal  con- 
ditions of  family  Hfe  is  sHght  as  compared  with  the  good  to  be  achieved 
is  the  burden  of  a  proverb  a  part  of  which  has  already  been  quoted. 
"Withhold  not  correction  from  the  child;  for  if  thou  beat  him  with 
the  rod,  he  will  not  die.  Thou  shalt  beat  him  with  the  rod,  and  shalt 
deliver  his  soul  from  Sheol."  Moreover,  the  writers  of  the  Proverbs 
recognized  benefits  which  the  use  of  the  rod  in  critical  cases  brought  to 
the  parent  as  well  as  those  which  it  brought  to  the  child,  as  is  clearly 
shown  in  the  saying,  "Correct  thy  son,  and  he  will  give  thee  rest; 
yea,  he  shall  give  delight  unto  thy  soul." 

While  the  ancient  Hebrews  knew  nothing  of  the  psychology  of  habit, 
under  any  such  name  at  least,  they  were  fully  aware  of  the  fact  of 
habit  and  of  the  tendency  of  dispositions  formed  in  childhood  and 
youth  to  persist  throughout  the  Hfetime  of  the  indi\ddual.  "Train 
up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,"  we  are  told,  "and  even  when 
he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it."  This  forms  one  of  the  chief 
assurances  of  the  permanent  effects  of  all  genuine  education. 

6 


THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES 

3.  The  child  grows  from  within. — Even  Christ  did  not  seek  to  hasten 
unduly  the  spiritual  development  of  his  disciples.  His  parables  of 
the  Sower,  of  the  Leaven,  of  the  Grain  of  Mustard  Seed,  all  show  his 
respect  for  life  processes.  He  himself  in  his  Hfe  from  childhood  onward 
illustrates  the  principle  of  growth.  For  the  individual  soul,  as  for  the 
Christian  community,  there  was  to  be  "first  the  blade,  then  the  ear, 
then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear."  He  would  have  us  show  in  all  our  deal- 
ings with  children  a  patience  which,  while  it  desires  ihe  harvest,  is 
wilHng  to  plant  the  seed  and  foster  the  growing  plant.  He  would  also 
have  us  show  a  faith  in  the  coming  of  the  harvest,  a  faith  which,  while 
it  recognizes  untoward  circumstances  and  deals  resolutely  with  them, 
is  yet  undismayed  by  them.  And  this  faith  is  not  for  our  sakes  alone, 
but  also  for  the  sake  of  the  children  committed  to  our  care.  To 
withhold  it  is  not  only  to  fail  to  see  human  nature  as  Christ  saw  it, 
but  also  to  fail  of  the  success  which  Christ's  way  of  dealing  with  human 
nature  makes  possible. 

4.  The  family  exists  for  the  child. — Among  many  primitive  peoples 
the  instruction  provided  for  the  young  is  directed  more  toward  the 
safety  and  comfort  of  the  older  members  of  the  group  than  toward 
the  welfare  of  the  children  themselves.  This  narrow  and  shortsighted 
policy  makes  anything  Hke  advancement  toward  civilization  practi- 
cally impossible.  With  the  Hebrews,  however,  children  were  always 
something  more  than  an  encumbrance  to  be  borne  patiently  for  the 
sake  of  a  return  of  benefits  in  old  age  or  a  potential  danger  to  the 
stabiHty  of  the  tribe  to  be  guarded  against  by  methods  of  stern  repres- 
sion. They  were  regarded  as  a  means  of  blessing  as  well  as  an  occasion 
for  responsibility.  Parenthood  was  a  privilege  to  be  assumed  rever- 
ently and  gladly,  and,  like  all  gifts  of  God,  to  be  used  with  due  regard 
to  the  divine  will  and  purpose.  The  responsibility  of  the  parent  to 
the  child  and  the  duty  of  the  child  to  the  parent  had,  moreover,  a  life- 
long character  which  unfortunately  has  tended  to  disappear  in  our 
modern  Western  world. 

While  polygamy  was  an  accepted  institution  in  the  early  Hfe  of  the 
Hebrew  people,  its  defects  were  recognized  and  its  evils  unsparingly 
portrayed  by  the  writers  from  whom  we  have  received  the  Old  Testa- 
ment narrative  in  its  final  form.  Chief  among  these  evils  were  family 
strife  and  the  neglect  of  paternal  supervision  of  the  morals  of  the  child. 

7 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Nowhere  in  any  literature  do  we  find  these  more  clearly  shown  than 
in  the  story  of  Jacob  and  his  family  and  in  the  tragedy  of  Absalom, 
the  undutiful  son  of  a  neglectful  and  too-indulgent  father. 

5.  The  life  of  the  family  is  the  basis  of  the  life  of  the  nation. — 
"Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,"  says  the  Decalogue,  "that  thy 
days  may  be  long  upon  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee," 
and  this  promised  reward  of  filial  respect  is,  it  would  seem,  as  much 
for  the  nation  as  for  the  individual.  National  permanence  depends 
upon  sound  family  life,  and  nowhere  else  is  this  truth  more  forcefully 
enjoined  or  more  clearly  exempHfied  than  in  the  Old  Testament.  The 
first  school  was  and  is  in  the  home,  and  the  first  and  the  best  teacher 
as  to  the  deeper  things  of  life  is,  or  should  be,  the  parent.  "Therefore 
shall  ye  lay  up  these  my  words  in  your  heart  and  in  your  soul,"  is  the 
command  of  the  Lord  in  Deuteronomy,  but  this  command  is  directly 
followed  by  another,  "And  ye  shall  teach  them  your  children,  talking 
of  them,  when  thou  sittest  in  thy  house,  and  when  thou  walkest  by 
the  way,  and  when  thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up."  Only 
at  a  comparatively  late  date  did  the  school  as  a  separate  institution, 
estabHshed  especially  for  the  instruction  of  the  young,  make  its  appear- 
ance among  the  Hebrews.  But  parental  care  to  a  great  degree  made 
good  a  deficiency  which  would  seem  to  us,  living  as  we  do  in  the  at- 
mosphere of  the  pubHc  school,  to  be  fatal  to  any  progress. 

Not  only  was  the  family  a  school  in  morals  and  rehgion;  it  was  also 
a  school  in  the  more  practical  affairs  of  Hfe.  "He  that  does  not  teach 
his  son  a  trade  makes  him  a  thief,"  is  a  saying  of  the  Talmud  which 
enforces  the  profound  truth  that  self-dependence  in  the  matter  of 
getting  one's  hving  is  one  of  the  most  necessary  safeguards  of  moraHty. 
The  fact  that  Jesus  was  a  carpenter  was  not  unrelated  to  the  other 
and  deeper  facts  of  his  hfe  and  ministry,  and  the  fact  that  Paul  was 
a  tentmaker  is  as  necessary  for  a  complete  understanding  of  the 
glorious  career  of  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles  as  the  seemingly 
more  important  fact  that  as  a  youth  he  sat  at  the  feet  of  Gamahel. 

6.  The  care  of  children  is  a  community  duty. — The  words  of  Jesus 
about  causing  httle  ones  to  offend  mean  not  only  that  each  of  us 
should  be  careful  of  his  conduct  in  the  presence  of  children,  but  also 
that  one  of  our  chief  duties  is  to  see  that  the  community  in  which  we 
live  and  that  larger  community  which  we  call  society  are  wholesome 

8 


THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES 

places  for  children  to  grow  up  in.  There  is  scarcely  any  matter  of 
community  welfare  but  finds  one  of  the  chief  arguments  for  its  support 
in  the  needs  of  childhood.  It  may  be  a  concrete  question  Hke  that  of 
clean  milk,  or  a  question  of  an  abstract  nature,  such  as  that  of  an  ideal 
system  of  taxation,  but  back  of  it  all  is  the  question  of  child  welfare 
and  of  "a  fairer  world  for  the  coming  race  than  we  ourselves  have 
known."  Nowhere  in  the  prophetic  writings  do  we  find  the  teaching 
of  Christ  in  this  particular  more  clearly  anticipated  than  in  the  noble 
picture  of  Zechariah  of  the  better  day  when  "the  streets  of  the  city 
shall  be  full  of  boys  and  girls  playing  in  the  streets  thereof." 

7.  The  child  is  the  hope  of  the  race. — In  every  child  the  race  has, 
as  it  were,  a  fresh  start.  The  child  is  teachable;  he  is  unbHnded  by 
prejudice;  he  is  sincere;  whatever  his  animal  heritage,  his  mind  has 
tendrils  which  reach  out  toward  God  and  the  truth  and  beauty  of  the 
religious  hfe  just  as  surely  as  the  growing  plant  reaches  for  the  sun- 
light. No  wonder  then  that  Christ  used  a  little  child  as  an  object- 
lesson  in  those  quaUties  of  mind  and  heart  without  which  it  is  impos- 
sible to  enter  the  Kingdom  of  heaven. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 

Steven. — "The  Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul."     Ch.  I. 
Hastings. — "Encyclopaedia  of  Religion  and  Ethics,"  Art;  Educa- 
tion (Jewish). 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Find  with  the  aid  of  a  Bible  dictionary  the  meaning  of  the  fol- 
lowing Scripture  names :  Samuel,  Jonathan,  EHsha,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah, 
Eleazar,  Nathanael,  Nehemiah. 

2.  Show  how  defects  in  the  family  life  may  lead  to  national  weak- 
ness and  decay. 

3.  Consider  the  exact  meaning  of  Christ's  statement:  "Except 
ye  turn,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

4.  Does  the  child  who  is  trained  "in  the  way  he  should  go"  always 
remain  in  that  way?  Account  for  any  exceptions  to  this  rule  which 
your  experience  appears  to  furnish. 

5.  In  what  respects  is  the  growth  of  a  child  like  the  growth  of  a 
plant?     In  what  respects  are  the  two  dissimilar? 


STUDY  II 

THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  MODERN  KNOWLEDGE: 
SOME  GENERAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

THE  RELATION  OF  BODY  TO  MIND 

The  pupil  as  we  know  him  is  a  unity  of  certain  powers,  capacities, 
and  quaHties,  some  of  which  we  speak  of  as  physical  and  others  as 
psychical  or  mental.  We  must  not  make  the  mistake,  however,  of 
assuming  that  we  can  make  a  clear  distinction  between  the  two  groups; 
mind,  through  the  brain  and  nervous  system,  pervades  and  influences 
the  whole  of  what  we  call  the  body,  and  the  body  in  turn  is  the  agency 
through  which  the  mind  grows  and  manifests  itself.  While  it  is  not 
true,  as  some  have  asserted,  that  all  knowledge  comes  from  sensation, 
it  is  true  that  without  that  contact  with  the  world  about  us  which  the 
various  sense  organs  make  possible  mind  would  remain  forever  a 
blank.  Seeing,  hearing,  touching,  tasting,  and  smelling  do  not  of 
themselves  constitute  understanding;  but  understanding  would  be 
impossible  without  them. 

Then,  again,  an  essential  quahty  of  all  mental  life  is  its  tendency  to 
express  itself  through  the  appropriate  bodily  organs.  Emotions, 
such  as  joy,  sorrow,  and  anger,  are  called  by  that  name  because  of  the 
"motions"  which  they  tend  to  produce,  while  even  our  so-called 
"ideas"  seem  to  involve,  as  part  of  their  most  intimate  character,  a 
tendency  to  movement  of  some  sort. 

There  are  two  important  practical  applications  of  the  foregoing 
which  should  be  noticed  here: 

1.  Healthy  children  learn  quickly. — The  health  of  the  pupils  and 
the  nature  of  the  physical  surroundings,  such  as  Hght,  air,  and  so 
forth,  are  powerful  factors  in  the  success  ornonsuccess  of  our  teaching. 
Mind  does  not  operate  or,  at  most,  operates  imperfectly  under  im- 
perfect physical  conditions. 

2.  Children  learn  by  doing. — The  free  use  of  the  muscles  in  the  ex- 
pression of  the  ideas  and  the  other  mental  states  of  the  pupils  not  only 
reveals  to  the  teacher  how  much  the  pupils  understand  and  "what 

10 


THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  MODERN  KNOWLEDGE 

they  are  thinking  about";   it  also,  by  its  reaction  upon  the  minds  of 

the  pupils,  adds  to  their  mental  states  vividness,  permanency,  and 

reahty. 

MIND  AND  ITS  FACULTIES 

The  human  mind  is  frequently  thought  of  as  a  collection  of  faculties 
such  as  observation,  memory,  imagination,  reasoning,  and  the  like, 
and  these  faculties  are  supposed  to  operate  in  a  large  degree  inde- 
pendently, each  having  its  own  especial  functions  to  perform.  Thus 
observation  is  supposed  to  collect  facts,  memory  to  retain  and  repro- 
duce them,  imagination  to  enlarge  upon  and  recast  them,  and  reason- 
ing to  arrange  them  in  an  orderly  sequence  so  that  some  general 
conclusion  or  principle  may  be  obtained. 

Nothing,  however,  could  be  further  from  the  truth  than  this  view. 
Normally  the  mind  acts  as  a  whole,  and  each  of  the  so-called  faculties 
is  present  to  cooperate  whenever  any  of  the  others  is  active.  For 
example,  observation  in  any  genuine  sense  of  the  word  involves  the 
memory  of  other  things  and  events  by  means  of  which  the  thing  or 
event  observed  is  classified  and  named  and  interpreted,  and,  since 
there  can  be  no  interpretation  without  the  aid  of  reason,  reason  also  is 
involved.  So  it  is  with  the  other  faculties.  They  are  not,  correctly 
speaking,  parts  of  mind  to  be  employed  each  in  its  special  task,  but 
aspects  of  mind,  ways  in  which  the  whole  mind  acts,  so  that  while  we 
are  compelled  to  use  such  terms  as  observation,  memory,  and  the  Hke, 
we  should  be  constantly  on  our  guard  against  the  pitfalls  into  which 
the  ordinary  notions  of  these  terms  would  lead  us. 

One  of  these  pitfalls  is  the  tendency  to  think  of  the  mind  as  a  ma- 
terial something  Uke  the  body.  As  the  body  has  separate  parts  and 
organs,  each  of  which  has  its  own  particular  task  or  function,  so  we  are 
incHned  to  think  of  the  mind  as  having  separate  parts,  each  of  which 
may  receive  separate  training  and  exercise. 

In  this  way  there  has  arisen  a  very  mistaken  notion  of  the  purpose 
of  education.  It  is  frequently  thought,  for  example,  that  observation 
may  be  improved  by  appropriate  exercises,  just  as  the  right  arm  may 
be  strengthened  by  Ufting  weights;  that  the  memory  may  be  made 
more  tenacious  by  learning  Hsts  of  facts,  just  as  the  grasping  power 
of  the  hand  is  increased  by  such  work  as  that  of  the  mason  and  the 
carpenter;  that  the  study  of  Hterature  develops  the  imagination  and 

11 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

the  study  of  mathematics  the  reasoning  powers.  Thus  education  has 
been  understood  to  mean  a  training  of  the  faculties  each  in  its  turn, 
and  the  resultant  harm  has  been  increased  by  the  further  assumption 
that  there  are  periods  in  the  life  of  the  pupil  during  which  particular 
faculties  alone  are  active  and  during  which  they  should  be  trained  to 
the  virtual  exclusion,  in  the  earlier  periods,  of  those  faculties  which 
are  supposed  to  appear  later  in  the  child's  development. 

There  is  no  space  here  to  enter  further  into  an  argument  which 
occupies  such  a  large  bulk  in  recent  psychological  Hterature,  but 
every  teacher,  including,  of  course,  the  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school, 
should  realize  that  in  using,  as  we  all  must,  the  terms  observation, 
memory,  imagination,  reasoning,  and  many  others  like  them,  we  are 
merely  describing  how  the  mind  acts,  or  should  act,  in  certain  typical 
situations,  and  that  mind  being  a  unity  always  tends  to  act  as  a  whole. 

MIND  IN  ITS  SOCIAL  ASPECTS 
Another  danger  we  must  guard  against  is  that  of  overlooking  the 
fact  that  the  mind  of  each  individual  develops  in  constant  interaction 
with  the  minds  of  others.  This  interaction  begins  with  the  dawn  of 
consciousness,  so  that  the  infant  is  said  to  be  born  into  a  world  of 
social  relationships.  When  he  learns  to  speak  the  mother  tongue  he 
not  only  acquires  a  means  of  intercourse  with  his  fellow  men  but  also 
takes  on  ways  of  thinking  about  them,  since  language  controls  thought 
as  well  as  gives  it  expression.  It  is  because  of  this  fact  that  what  we 
call  the  character  of  a  people  is  so  closely  bound  up  with  their 
national  language. 

A  further  fact  should  also  be  mentioned  in  this  connection.  In 
every  group  of  people,  even  in  so  small  and  so  loosely  organized  a 
group  as  a  Sunday-school  class,  the  mind  of  each  member  of  the 
group  acts  differently  because  of  the  presence  of  other  minds.  Be- 
cause of  this  fact  a  class  is  always  more  than  a  mere  collection  of  in- 
dividuals, and  the  task  of  deaHng  with  them  effectively  is  a  different 
task  from  that  of  dealing  with  each  member  separately.  Such  group 
characteristics  as  emulation  and  rivalry,  leadership  and  subordination, 
appear,  and  the  class  tends  inevitably  to  become  a  unit  through  the 
emergence  of  what  is  called  a  class  spirit.  This  class  spirit  is  a  form 
of  what  is  called  social  consciousness,  and  like  the  spirit  of  the  family, 

12 


THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  MODERN  KNOWLEDGE 

upon  which  unity  of  the  family  Hfe  depends,  or  the  spirit  of  the  na- 
tion, from  which  all  genuine  patriotism  springs,  it  has  tremendous 
potencies  both  for  evil  and  for  good. 

This  influence  of  one's  fellows  operates  even  apart  from  any  actual 
contact  with  them.  The  force  of  public  opinion,  the  pressure  of  public 
sentiment,  the  influence  of  social  custom,  are  with  us  in  our  most 
private  moments.  They  are  as  pervasive  in  our  mental  and  moral 
life  as  is  the  atmosphere  in  our  physical  life,  and  whether  we  passively 
submit  to  them  or  seek  actively  to  direct  them,  we  are  nevertheless 
compelled  to  recognize  the  fact  that  without  them  our  existence  as 
human  beings  would  be  an  impossibility.  They  are  as  much  a  part 
of  us  as  we  are  of  them. 

THE  STAGES  OF  MENTAL  GROWTH 

Paul's  statement,  "When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  felt  as 
a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child,"  expresses  the  important  truth  of  an 
essential  difference  between  the  mind  of  the  child  and  the  mind  of  the 
adult.  In  the  intervening  period  between  Paul's  day  and  our  own, 
and  even  in  our  own  time,  this  truth  has  frequently  been  overlooked, 
and  with  disastrous  results.  Modern  child  study  has  not  only  estab- 
lished the  fact  of  this  difference,  but  has  also  set  forth  the  important 
particulars  in  which  this  difference  manifests  itself. 

Of  equal  importance  for  our  present  -study  is  the  fact  that  the  period 
of  childhood,  that  is,  the  whole  period  of  immaturity,  is  marked  by 
stages  which  make  necessary  the  estabhshment  of  certain  subdivisions. 
When  in  our  educational  systems  we  distinguish  between  elementary 
and  secondary  education,  and  when  in  our  elementary  schools  we 
make  a  distinction  between  primary,  intermediate,  and  grammar 
classes,  to  use  terms  which  are  quite  widely  applied  in  American 
schools,  we  recognize  not  only  differences  in  the  amount  of  knowledge 
possessed  by  the  pupils  in  these  different  groups,  but  also  more  funda- 
mental differences  in  emotional  life,  in  intellectual  capacity,  and  in 
physical  powers.  The  establishment  of  separate  divisions  in  our 
Sunday  schools  and  the  ijicreasing  provision  for  graded  instruction 
and  graded  forms  of  worship  are  tardy  recognitions  of  an  important 
fact  which  should  have  been  apparent  to  us  and  which  should  have 
influenced  our  practice  from  the  beginning. 

13 


THOROUGHLY  FURXISHED 

THE  CONTINUITY  OF  THE  MENTAL  LIFE 
The  stages  of  mental  growth,  of  which  mention  has  just  been  made, 
have  nothing  of  the  nature  of  water-tight  compartments.  They 
overlap  so  that  the  individual  often  passes  imperceptibly  from  one 
to  the  other.  This  fact  of  the  continuity  of  the  mental  life  does  not, 
however,  mean  a  uniform  rate  of  progress.  In  the  physical  life  there 
are  periods  of  rapid  growth  followed  by  periods  of  slow  growth.  At 
times  nature  seems  to  specialize  on  certain  parts  or  organs,  and  at 
times  her  interest  seems  to  be  in  the  perfecting  of  physical  powers 
and  functions  rather  than  in  mere  increase  in  height  and  weight.  A 
similar  bewildering  variety  is  observable  in  the  mental  life.  IMental 
growth  is  rhythmic  rather  than  uniform;  moreover,  its  rate  and  char- 
acter are  affected  by  the  physical  changes  which  run  parallel  with  it. 
It  is  because  of  these  facts  that  so  much  of  patience  and  insight  is 
needed  on  the  part  of  parents  and  teachers  in  dealing  with  slow  or 
otherwise  exceptional  children. 

INDIVIDUAL  DIFFERENCES  IN  MENTALITY 

We  should  never  forget  the  fact  that  when  we  speak  of  "the  child" 
we  are  really  using  an  abstraction.  As  teachers,  we  deal  with  a 
number  of  individuals  who  resemble  each  other  only  in  certain  general 
respects.  Heredity  and  environment  have  combined  not  only  to 
stamp  on  the  children  in  our  classes  certain  common  characteristics, 
but  also  to  make  each  one,  to  a  noteworthy  degree,  unique.  We  need 
to  know  these  common  characteristics;  but  unless  we  have  the  gift  of 
discerning  also  the  exceptional  elements  with  which  these  common 
characteristics  are  always  intermingled,  our  chances  of  success  are 
slight  indeed.  The  fact  of  "mental  age,"  now  so  emphasized  in  the 
diagnosis  and  treatment  of  defective  children,  calls  attention  to 
noteworthy  differences  that  exist  among  normal  children.  These  dif- 
ferences have  also  been  disclosed  by  studies  of  the  attainments  and 
capabiHties  of  children  in  the  same  classes  of  a  carefully  graded  school. 
These  studies  have  led  to  such  conclusions  as  the  following — con- 
clusions which  are  not  without  suggestiveness  to  teachers  of  Sunday- 
school  classes: 

"Roughly  speaking,  the  teacher  of  a  class,  even  in  a  school  graded 
as  closely  as  is  possible  in  large  cities,  where  two  classes  are  provided 

14 


THE  PUPIL  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  MODERN  KNOWLEDGE 

in  each  building  for  each  grade  and  where  promotion  occurs  every 
six  months,  will  find  in  the  case  of  any  kind  of  work  some  pupil  who 
can  do  from  two  to  five  times  as  much  in  the  same  time  or  do  the  same 
amount  from  two  to  five  times  as  well  as  some  other  pupil.  The 
highest  tenth  of  her  class  will  in  any  one  trait  have  an  average 
ability  from  one  and  three  fourths  to  four  times  that  of  the  lowest 
tenth." 

Child  study  cannot  then  furnish  us  in  advance  with  a  solution  of  the 
many  concrete  problems  which  confront  us  as  teachers.  It  can,  how- 
ever, often  furnish  us  with  a  clue  to  problems  which  otherwise  would 
remain  mysteries;  it  can  guard  against  dogmatism,  and  it  can  pre- 
pare the  way  for  that  first-hand  study  of  individual  pupils  which  is  the 
duty  and  should  be  the  delight  and  the  inspiration  of  the  teacher. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 
Thorndike.— "Principles  of  Teaching."     Chs.  II,  XIII-XV 
Betts.—"  Social  Principles  of  Education."     Ch.  II. 
Bagley.— "The  Educative  Process."     Ch.  XII. 
CoLviN.— "The  Learning  Process."     Chs.  I,  II. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Study  any  characteristic  emotion,  such  as  joy,  sorrow,  or  anger, 
in  its  total  manifestation  and  note  what  are  the  physical  and  what  the 
mental  elements  in  it.  What  truth  is  there  in  the  contention  that  the 
best  way  to  control  an  emotion  is  to  control  its  bodily  expression, 
e.  g.,  the  best  way  to  control  sorrow  is  to  look  cheerful,  talk  cheerfully' 
and  so  forth  ? 

2.  Illustrate  from  your  own  experience  the  fact  that  children  tend 
to  act  differently  when  in  company  and  when  alone. 

3.  Find  illustrations  of  the  fact  that  social  custom  and  public 
opinion  influence  a  man  even  if  he  lives  entirely  apart  from  his  fellows 
as  did  Robinson  Crusoe. 

4.  Children  have  been  divided  into  two  great  classes:  "idea 
thinkers,"  i.  e.,  those  who  have  the  gift  of  abstraction,  and  "thing 
thinkers,"  those  whose  minds  work  freely  only  when  handling  objects. 
Find  illustrations  of  these  two  groups  in  the  children  of  your  ac- 
quaintance. 

5.  Since  the  time  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  individuals  have  been 
classified  according  to  temperament  into :  sanguine,  choleric,  melan- 
cholic, phlegmatic.  Study  the  real  meaning  of  these  terms  and  note 
any  persons  of  your  acquaintance  who  possess  one  or  another  of  these 
temperaments. 

15 


STUDY  III 

INFANCY  AND  EARLY  CHILDHOOD 

PHYSICAL  ASPECTS 

The  most  noteworthy  thing  about  the  young  infant  is  its  utter 
helplessness.  It  depends  entirely  upon  the  care  of  its  elders  for 
preservation  of  its  life  from  moment  to  moment.  That  this  care  is 
not  always  at  hand  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  eleven  per  cent  of  all 
children  die  during  the  first  year,  while  during  the  next  two  years, 
when  the  dependence  upon  others  is  relatively  much  less,  the  mor- 
tahty  is  only  two  and  one  half  per  cent. 

Certain  prerequisites  for  health  and  proper  growth  during  the 
period  may  be  mentioned  briefly  as  follows: 

1.  Proper  Food. — Very  few  parents  are  sufficiently  educated  in  the 
matter  of  the  feeding  of  infants.  Hence,  partly  through  ignorance 
and  partly  through  carelessness,  the  child  is  robbed  of  a  considerable 
portion  of  his  rightful  physical  inheritance.  • 

2.  Proper  Care  as  to  Clothing  and  Temperature. — The  infant  has 
less  capacity  for  adjusting  itself  to  changes  in  temperature  than  has  the 
adult.  The  notion  once  quite  prevalent,  that  a  certain  degree  of 
exposure  to  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather  tends  to  "harden"  young 
children,  is  now  regarded  as  a  pernicious  error.  On  the  other  hand, 
however,  sunshine  and  fresh  air  are  absolutely  necessary  to  health  and 
proper  growth.  "To  expect  an  infant  to  thrive  in  the  hot,  dry  air  of 
city  apartments,  where  even  plants  wither  and  die,  is  to  expect  the 
impossible." 

3.  Plenty  of  sleep  and  an  environment  which,  while  offering  suf- 
ficient opportunity  to  exercise  the  muscles  of  the  body,  does  not  over- 
stimulate  the  delicate  nervous  organization  of  the  child.  The  new 
doctrine  of  "children's  rights,"  if  it  means  anything,  should  mean 
the  right  of  the  infant  to  a  large  amount  of  being  let  alone.  Parents 
who  give  way  to  a  natural  vanity  by  showing  off  their  infants  to  every 
chance  visitor,  or  who  encourage  these  infants  to  expect  constant 
notice  and  attention,  are  not  only  injuring  them  in  a  moral  sense  but 

16 


INFANCY  AND  EARLY  CHILDHOOD 

are  developing  in  them  a  nervous  instability  which  will  later  be  a 
serious  menace  to  both  health  and  happiness. 

MENTAL  DEVELOPMENT 

We  can  only  make  vague  guesses  as  to  what  is  in  a  baby's  mind 
when  he  wrinkles  his  forehead  and  we  flatter  him  by  remarking  that 
he  is  thinking  about  something.  Professor  James  has  spoken  of  the 
human  mind  as  being  at  the  outset  "a  big  buzzing,  blooming  confu- 
sion." By  this  he  means,  of  course,  that  the  infant  receives  a  great 
variety  of  sensations  which  he  has  not  yet  classified  or  learned  to 
associate  with  their  appropriate  external  setting.  He  does  not  know 
that  the  grass  is  green  and  the  sky  is  blue;  much  less  does  he  know 
blue  and  green  as  the  names  of  quahties  which  are  found  in  a  great 
variety  of  objects.  He  has,  however,  latent  in  his  nature,  the  ca- 
pacity to  distinguish  objects  and  qualities,  and  this  capacity  develops 
chiefly  in  connection  with  the  use  of  his  muscles  in  the  handhng  of 
objects  and  in  the  general  exploration  of  his  physical  surroundings. 

The  method  which  he  employs,  all  unconsciously,  of  course,  has  been 
called  the  method  of  "trial  and  error,"  and  this  method  is  one  which 
is  at  the  basis  of  all  human  learning.  In  the  presence  of  a  certain 
object,  an  orange  or  a  ball,  for  example,  the  baby  makes  a  number  of 
unregulated  and  uncoordinated  movements.  He  nods  his  head,  he 
moves  his  feet,  he  waves  his  arms,  his  whole  body  participates  in  his 
response  to  the  stimulation  of  this  new  and  interesting  object.  Cer- 
tain of  these  movements  result  in  contact  with  the  object,  and  these, 
because  of  the  satisfaction  which  they  bring,  tend  to  be  emphasized 
in  later  experiences  with  similar  objects.  In  the  case  of  the  orange 
or  ball  it  would  be  certain  movements  of  hands  and  arms  which  would 
be  emphasized,  while  the  unregulated  and  unnecessary  movements 
of  head  and  feet  would  tend  to  disappear. 

In  some  such  way  a  great  number  of  habits  are  bmlt  up  during  the 
first  years  of  childhood.  These  are  often  called  physical  habits,  since 
they  have  to  do  mainly  with  such  physical  necessities  as  feeding,  walk- 
ing, and  so  forth,  but  they  have  their  mental  side  as  well.  Various 
sensations  accompany  and  result  from  these  movements,  and  these 
sensations  form  the  raw  material  of  our  knowledge  of  the  external 
world  and  even  of  our  own  bodies.     Only  through  this  muscular  activ- 

17 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

ity  does  the  child  come  gradually  to  what  we  call  "self -consciousness.' ' 
As  Tennyson  has  written  in  "In  Memoriam," 

The  baby  new  to  earth  and  sky, 
What  time  his  tender  palm  is  prest 
Against  the  circle  of  the  breast, 

Has  never  thought  that  "this  is  I," 

But  as  he  grows  he  gathers  much, 
And  learns  the  use  of  "  I "  and  '  *  me,'* 
And  finds  "I  am  not  what  I  see, 

And  other  than  the  things  I  touch," 

So  rounds  he  to  a  separate  mind 

From  whence  clear  memory  may  begin, 
As  thro'  the  frame  that  binds  him  in 

His  isolation  grown  defined. 

THE  MEANING  OF  INSTINCT 

But  how  does  all  this  begin?  What  prompts  the  child  in  its  first 
gropings  after  knowledge  and  what  furnishes  the  energy  which  prompts 
to  that  constant  striving  through  which  eventually  the  wonderful 
world  of  the  human  consciousness  is  built  up?  ReHgion,  with  its 
insistence  upon  the  vital  connection  between  God  and  the  human 
soul,  gives  us  the  final  answer,  but  science  tells  us  much  that  is  inter- 
esting and  valuable  about  the  methods  and  processes.  The  one  term 
which  is  most  used  at  the  present  time  in  the  explanation  of  the 
beginnings  of  human  behavior  is  the  term  "instinct." 

The  physiological  basis  of  instinct  is  in  connections  open  at  birth 
between  certain  cells  in  the  brain.  Just  why  certain  connections  exist 
rather  than  others  is  explained  by  reference  to  the  Hfe  of  the  species 
from  the  very  beginnings  of  hfe  upon  the  planet.  We  all  know  that 
with  the  insects,  and  with  many  of  the  animals,  the  young  of  the 
species  are  able  at  birth  to  go  through  all  or  most  of  the  processes 
which  are  necessary  for  the  particular  round  of  existence  ordained  for 
them.  In  such  cases  the  connection  between  sensory  and  motor 
brain  cells,  upon  which  successful  action  depends,  must  be  very  elab- 
orate and  very  complete.  With  the  human  infant,  however,  the 
equipment  in  the  way  of  instinct  is  just  enough  to  enable  it  to  survive 
in  an  atmosphere  of  constant  and  inteUigent  protection  and  assistance. 

18 


INFANCY  AND  EARLY  CHILDHOOD 

Then,  again,  instinct  in  the  case  of  the  lower  forms  of  Hfe  is  specific. 
The  chick  a  few  minutes  after  hatching  is  able  to  make,  with  surpris- 
ing skill,  the  particular  movements  necessary  for  the  taking  of  food, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  is  able  to  find  food  for  itself.  With  the 
young  of  the  human  species  this  independence  is  reached  only  after 
years  of  care  and  training. 

At  first  glance  it  would  seem  that  all  the  advantage  is  on  the  side 
of  the  animal  and  all  the  disadvantage  with  the  human  being.  But 
this  disadvantage  is  apparent  only.  The  instincts  of  the  chick  are 
rigid  and  condemn  it  to  a  Hfe  almost  identical  with  that  of  all  the 
former  members  of  its  species.  The  instincts  of  the  infant  are  general 
and  plastic,  and  may  be  modified  in  a  thousand  ways  to  meet  new 
conditions.  While  the  animal  has  all  the  advantage,  at  the  outset, 
at  least,  in  the  way  of  biological  heredity,  the  infant  is  able  to  receive 
from  the  adult  life  about  him  the  invaluable  gifts  of  what  we  may  call 
social  heredity.  Thus  progress,  in  the  real  sense  of  the  word,  is  made 
possible. 

EDUCATION  DURING  THIS  PERIOD 

While  the  child  learns  during  his  first  four  years  more  than  he  will 
ever  learn  in  any  period  of  equal  length  during  his  later  life,  practically 
all  of  this  learning  is  of  the  informal  kind.  He  learns  to  control  his 
muscles,  not  through  the  use  of  set  exercises  under  the  eye  of  a  teacher, 
but  through  trial  and  error  under  a  great  variety  of  conditions  which 
are  not  often  thought  of,  even  by  his  parents,  as  part  of  his  education. 
He  learns  to  use  the  mother  tongue  by  imitating  the  speech  of  his 
elders,  and  by  a  similar  process  he  acquires  a  considerable  number  of 
social  habits,  that  is,  habits  having  to  do  with  his  relationship  to  his 
fellows.  He  is,  of  course,  taught  many  things  directly,  as  when  his 
mother  teaches  him  to  dress  himself  or  to  use  a  spoon  at  the  table; 
but  this  teaching  does  not  form  part  of  any  set  program. 

From  the  standpoint  of  religious  education  it  is  important  to  note 
certain  features  which  characterize  this  period: 

1.  It  is  preeminently  the  period  of  habit  formation,  and  among  the 
habits  which  should  be  definitely  established  are  certain  which  arc 
fundamental  both  to  religion  and  to  morality.  One  needs  only  to 
mention  such  habits  as  those  of  private  and  regular  prayer,  of  a  proper 

19 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

attitude  during  devotional  exercises,  of  obedience,  of  respect  to  one's 
elders,  of  neatness,  and  of  kindness  to  animals,  to  realize  that  one  can 
scarcely  begin  too  early  to  train  children  for  those  large  ends  which 
the  Christian  religion  sets  as  the  goal  of  our  imperfect  human  nature. 

2.  The  young  child  learns  chiefiy  through  manual  activity.  What 
was  once  called  the  sense  of  touch  is  now  known  to  include  a  consider- 
able number  of  special  senses,  for  example,  those  of  temperature  and 
pain,  the  end  organs  of  which  are  found  in  the  skin,  and  those  of 
pressure  and  strain,  with  end  organs  residing  in  the  muscles,  tendons, 
and  joints.  Much  of  the  educational  value  of  the  kindergarten  and 
of  the  widely  advertised  children's  houses  of  Madame  Montessori 
depends  upon  the  use  which  these  institutions  make  of  the  senses 
which  are  involved  in  the  handHng  of  objects  and  in  the  guidance  of 
muscular  movements. 

Sense-training  is  always  mind-training,  and  forms  a  necessary  basis 
for  clear  thinking  and  for  the  right  use  of  words.  Hence  the  modern 
Sunday  school  is  not  satisfied  merely  with  the  teUing  of  stories  to  the 
httle  ones  and  with  the  learning  and  singing  of  simple  hymns.  It 
tries  to  provide  occupation  for  the  little  hands,  not  only  because  the 
children  are  thereby  given  a  freedom  of  movement  which  prevents 
weariness  but  because  such  exercises  as  paper-cutting  and  folding, 
stick-laying,  simple  color  work,  and  the  use  of  the  sand  table,  give 
clearness  and  vividness  to  ideas  and  a  stimulus  to  the  imagination 
which  words  by  themselves  could  never  provide. 

The  aim  of  the  teacher  of  the  Httle  ones  in  our  Sunday  schools 
should  always  be  to  combine  song  and  story  with  action  and  with 
those  forms  of  action  which  link  the  interests  and  capacities  of  her 
pupils  with  the  simple  and  concrete  lesson  she  is  trying  to  teach. 

3.  The  emotional  life  of  the  young  child  is  very  vivid  and  impres- 
sionable. Children,  as  we  all  know,  are  easily  moved  to  laughter  and 
to  tears.  Sometimes,  though,  we  do  not  realize  that  incidents  which 
to  the  adults  concerned  seem  quite  trivial  leave  indelible  impressions 
on  the  sensitive  child  mind.  One  of  the  newer  methods  of  applied 
psychology,  known  by  the  name  of  psychanalysis,  traces  many  dis- 
orders of  the  adult  mind  to  impressions  made  in  early  childhood, 
impressions  of  which  the  individual  concerned  has  no  clear  recollec- 
tion or  perhaps  no  recollection  at  all.     The  moral  bearing  of  all  this 

20 


INFANCY  AND  EARLY  CHILDHOOD 

is  quite  manifest.  The  atmosphere  of  the  home,  the  bearing  of 
parents  toward  each  other,  their  attitude  toward  rehgion  and  religious 
observances,  their  tones  of  voice,  the  pictures  the  child  sees,  the  chance 
remarks  which  he  may  hear  without  fully  understanding,  all  con- 
tribute a  sort  of  substratum  to  the  later  conscious  life.  In  so  far  as 
the  Church,  through  the  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday  school 
and  other  similar  religious  agencies,  can  provide  for  the  young  child  a 
richer  and  more  wholesome  mental  and  spiritual  environment,  it  is 
doing  a  work  the  far-reaching  benefits  of  which  it  would  be  hard  to 
overestimate. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 

Tracy.— "The  Psychology  of  Childhood."     Ch.  II. 
KiRKPATRiCK.—"  Fundamentals  of  Child  Study."     Ch.  V. 
McDouGALL.— "Social  Psychology."     Ch.  VII. 
Monroe. — "Cyclopedia  of  Education,"  Art;  Infant  Education. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Show  how  the  method  of  trial  and  error  is  involved  in  learning 
to  walk,  in  learning  to  speak,  in  learning  to  sing. 

2.  Show  how  the  growth  in  the  knowledge  of  "self"  accompanies 
growth  in  the  knowledge  of  "things." 

3.  Name  some  of  the  disadvantages  which  come  to  animals  through 
the  relatively  fixed  character  of  their  instincts.  Find  concrete  illus- 
trations of  these  disadvantages. 

4.  Show  how  a  human  instinct,  e.  g.,  hunger,  or  curiosity,  gradually 
develops  into  various  appropriate  habits. 

5.  Find  instances  where  vivid  experiences  of  young  children  have 
in  ways  unrecognized  by  them  influenced  their  later  lives. 

6.  Consider  the  truth  of  the  statement  that  "sense-training  is  al- 
ways mind-training."  Is  this  true  of  the  trained  eye  of  the  artist 
and  the  trained  ear  of  the  musician? 

7.  Discuss  the  value  of  the  use  of  the  sand  table  in  the  study  of  a 
Bible  story.  Consider  the  best  way  of  dividing  the  work  involved 
between  the  teacher  and  the  class. 


21 


STUDY  IV 
MIDDLE  CHILDHOOD  (SIX  TO  NINE  YEARS) 

PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

During  the  three  years  under  consideration  the  growth  of  the  child 
is  rapid.  In  consequence  he  is  apt  to  be  at  this  period  especially  sus- 
ceptible to  disease  and  fatigue.  Whatever  school  exercises  he  has 
should,  in  consequence,  be  short  and  varied,  and  teacher  and  parent 
should  constantly  be  on  the  lookout  for  signs  of  exhaustion.  More- 
over, his  control  of  his  muscles  is  still  far  from  complete.  He  has 
during  his  earlier  years  been  developing  by  constant  practice  the 
larger  and  more  fundamental  muscles  of  his  body,  those  of  trunk, 
arms,  legs,  and  so  forth.  During  the  period  of  middle  childhood  the 
control  of  these  fundamental  muscles  is  continued  so  that  by  nine 
years  this  control,  as  measured,  for  example,  by  the  ability  to  keep 
the  body  in  a  rigid  position  for  a  given  length  of  time,  has  often  in- 
creased by  one  hundred  per  cent  over  the  ability  possessed  at  five 
years  of  age. 

Now  this  control  of  the  larger  muscles  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
the  successful  use  of  the  finer  muscles  which  are  employed  in  the  more 
dehcate  movements  of  writing,  drawing,  sewing,  and  so  forth.  In 
consequence  the  modern  primary  school  makes  large  use  of  free  play, 
games,  and  constructive  work,  both  as  a  means  to  physical  develop- 
ment and  as  an  introduction  to  that  larger  social  and  industrial  en- 
vironment which  confronts  the  child  with  the  beginning  of  the  period 
of  formal  schooHng.  On  the  other  hand,  the  old  emphasis  upon  read- 
ing and  writing  as  the  first  and  often  the  only  occupation  of  young 
children  at  school  has  been  greatly  relaxed. 

MENTAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

1.  Passive  attention. — During  this  period,  as  during  the  earlier 

period,  the  attention  of  the  child  is  almost  wholly  of  the  passive  kind. 

He  attends  to  what  happens  to  appeal  to  him  at  the  moment,  and 

generally  that  which  appeals  to  him  is  the  strongest  external  stimulus. 

22 


MIDDLE  CHILDHOOD  (SIX  TO  NINE  YEARS) 

Anyone  who  has  been  in  the  company  of  a  child  of  this  age  for  even  a 
half  hour  will  realize  how  rapidly  his  attention  flits  from  one  thing  to 
another  and  how  little  of  logical  connection  there  seems  to  be  between 
the  different  objects  to  which  he  attends.  Active  attention,  however, 
the  power  of  holding  the  mind  to  one  thing  as  against  the  distractions 
of  the  immediately  pleasant  and  appealing,  is  beginning  to  manifest 
itself.  Success  in  teaching  children  at  this  stage,  and  especially  suc- 
cess in  that  part  of  teaching  which  we  call  discipline,  consists  chiefly 
in  making  as  large  a  use  as  possible  of  this  dawning  power  of  active 
attention.  It  is  not  hard  to  amuse  young  children,  but  merely  to 
amuse  is  to  leave  them  still  on  the  plane  of  the  animal  and  the  savage, 
the  plane  where  every  distraction  is  certain  to  be  an  occasion  for 
neglecting  the  thing  in  hand.  The  problem  is  to  introduce  enough 
of  variety,  movement,  and  picturesqueness  to  hold  one's  pupils  and 
at  the  same  time  to  enlist  their  efforts  in  reaching  toward  some  future 
end,  the  value  of  which,  because  of  their  immaturity,  they  can  only 
dimly  appreciate. 

2.  The  store  of  ideas. — The  period  of  middle  childhood  is  generally 
the  one  during  which  formal  school  instruction  begins.  Investigation 
as  to  the  contents  of  children's  minds  upon  entering  school  has  shown 
that  they  frequently  lack  the  store  of  ideas  necessary  for  effective 
teaching.  When  a  child  has  no  clear  notion  as  to  the  appearance  of  a 
robin,  the  shape  of  a  bird's  nest,  or  the  size  of  a  cow,  it  is  idle  to  at- 
tempt a  lesson  on  birds  or  on  the  life  of  the  farm.  In  our  Sunday 
schools  we  often  talk  about  objects  which  the  child  knows  only  as 
words  and  not  really  as  things.  Our  first  duty  then  in  teaching  a 
lesson  on  Abraham,  for  example,  is  to  make  sure  that  the  child  has 
reasonably  adequate  mental  pictures  of  sheep  and  camels  and  tents. 
Children,  and  especially  city  children,  have  not  the  store  of  definite 
images  that  the  ordinary  teacher  believes  them  to  possess,  and  yet 
without  these  images  clear  concepts  and  accurate  reasoning  are  im- 
possible. 

A  further  characteristic  of  children's  minds  at  this  age  is  that  the 
ideas  which  they  do  possess  are  exceedingly  concrete;  with  them, 
much  more  than  with  older  children  and  adults,  the  class  is  repre- 
sented by  a  particular  member  of  the  class,  as,  for  example,  all  dogs 
by  the  dog  which  they  know  best.     Objects  are  understood  also 

23 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

largely  in  terms  of  their  effect  upon  the  child  himself,  rather  than  by 
facts  of  appearance  or  structure;  for  example,  a  bee  is  something 
which  stings  you,  a  knife  is  something  which  cuts. 

3.  The  ability  to  reason. — It  is  sometimes  questioned  whether  at 
this  stage  a  child  can  reason.  The  answer  would  seem  to  be  that  it 
reasons  just  as  truly  as  does  the  adult.  It  does  not  show  the  capacity 
for  abstraction,  however,  which  the  ordinary  adult  possesses.  The 
child  argues  from  one  particular  case  to  another  and  is  apt  to  overlook 
differences  which  lie  beneath  the  surface.  For  example,  a  six-year- 
old  boy  of  my  acquaintance  tried  to  make  a  rude  carriage  by  nailing 
the  front  and  rear  portions  of  a  board  upon  two  round  blocks.  He 
had  found  that  the  blocks  would  roll,  and  knew  that  they  might  be 
held  together  by  a  board,  but  failed  to  see,  in  advance  at  least,  that 
the  nails  which  held  the  boards  to  the  blocks  prevented  the  blocks 
from  turning  round. 


MORAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

It  has  been  repeatedly  stated  that  the  child  is  neither  moral  nor 
immoral,  but  rather  unmoral.  While  this  statement  is  an  exaggera- 
tion, it  suggests  the  truth  that  the  conduct  of  children  is  not  to  be 
judged  by  adult  standards.  What  in  an  adult  would  be  gross  care- 
lessness, or  even  sheer  destructiveness,  is  in  the  child  often  only  a 
natural  curiosity  applied  to  material  of  the  nature  and  structure  of 
which  he  is  ignorant.  Children's  lies,  when  they  are  not  due  to  an 
excess  of  fear,  often  arise  from  the  inability  to  distinguish  between 
what  they  imagine  and  what  really  exists  or  what  really  has  taken 
place.  It  is  because  of  this  latter  fact  that  the  evidence  of  young 
children  is  discredited  in  courts  of  law. 

The  child  is  certainly  capable  of  a  prudential  morahty,  that  is,  he 
can  learn  to  avoid  certain  acts  and  to  perform  certain  others  because 
of  the  painful  or  pleasurable  quaHty  of  the  results.  He  is  also  greatly 
influenced  in  his  conduct  by  his  personal  likings  and  antipathies.  In 
most  cases,  however,  he  can  go  beyond  these  relatively  low  motives 
and  can  deal  quite  effectively  with  the  abstractions  involved  in  such 
commonplace  virtues  as  honesty,  justice,  and  generosity.  In  so  far 
as  he  can  do  this  he  is  certainly  capable  of  a  genuine  morality. 

24 


MIDDLE  CHILDHOOD  (SIX  TO  NINE  YEARS) 

EDUCATION  DURING  THIS  PERIOD 

1.  Play  as  a  factor  in  the  education  of  the  child. — Children  play 
from  infancy  onward.  Organized  play,  as  found  in  sports,  forms  one 
of  the  most  compelling  interests  of  the  period  of  youth.  Adults 
find  a  source  of  relaxation  in  play,  and  even  the  frosts  of  advancing 
age  fail  to  kill  entirely  the  play  spirit  in  man.  The  human  race  has 
played  during  all  the  ages  of  its  long  Hfe  upon  this  planet,  and  our 
sense  of  kinship  with  the  peoples  of  bygone  centuries  is  strangely  and 
strongly  quickened  by  the  discovery  that  many  of  the  plays  which  we 
witness  in  the  streets  and  playgrounds  and  homes  of  our  American 
towns  and  cities  were  played  in  Nineveh  and  Damascus  and  ancient 
Athens  by  children  long  ago  grown  to  manhood  and  turned  to  dust. 
The  spade  of  the  archaeologist  reveals  the  playthings,  and  we  place 
them  in  our  museums,  but  the  heart  of  childhood  treasures  the  in- 
heritance of  the  play  spirit  and  cherishes  even  the  very  formulas 
w^hich  gave  to  the  plays  themselves  their  peculiar  charm  and  sig- 
nificance and  which  have  survived  all  the  vicissitudes  of  war  and 
pestilence  and  migration. 

Only  during  the  last  one  hundred  years,  however,  has  any  attempt 
been  made  to  use  the  play  impulse  in  education.  Before  that  time 
the  manifestations  of  this  impulse  were  almost  universally  regarded 
as  something  to  be  tolerated  in  connection  with  school  Hfe  when  they 
could  not  be  entirely  suppressed. 

The  one  man  who  has  done  most  to  establish  the  educational  value 
of  play  is  the  German  philosopher,  Froebel,  who,  as  we  all  know,  based 
his  kindergarten  upon  the  play  activities  of  childhood,  and  who,  in  his 
"Education  of  Man,"  has  given  eloquent  expression  to  a  theory  of 
play  v;hich  every  teacher  would  do  well  to  ponder.  Thus,  "Play 
gives  [i-O  the  child]  joy,  freedom,  contentment,  inner  and  outer  rest, 
peace  with  the  world.  It  holds  the  sources  of  all  that  is  good.  A 
child  that  plays  thoroughly,  with  self-active  determination,  will 
surely  be  a  thorough,  determined  man."  And,  again,  "The  plays  of 
childhood  are  the  germinal  leaves  of  all  later  life." 

a.  The  three  aspects  of  play. — There  are  three  aspects  of  play 
which  may  well  be  noticed,  even  in  a  brief  treatment  such  as  that  of 
the  present  article.  Play,  when  considered  in  its  entirety,  has  a  back- 
ward look,  a  forward  look,  and  an  outward  look. 

25 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Various  writers  have  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  play  in  many 
of  its  manifestations  is  a  rehearsal  of  ancestral  activities,  with  this 
exception,  however,  that  what  the  child  now  does  without  any  in- 
centive beyond  his  own  personal  inclination,  his  ancestors,  primitive 
man,  for  instance,  did  consciously  as  a  means  to  survival.  For  ex- 
ample, the  child  plays  at  throwing  or  striking  a  ball.  Now,  throwing 
and  striking  were  arts  in  which  primitive  man  had  to  excel  in  order 
that  he  might  protect  himself  from  enemies  and  provide  himself  with 
food.  Again,  the  fondness  of  children  for  digging  caves  and  erecting 
rude  structures  in  which  a  sort  of  primitive  housekeeping  can  be  con- 
ducted finds  an  interesting  parallel  in  certain  well-known  features  of 
savage  life.  Why  all  these  things  are  done  is  a  question  about  which 
authorities  differ,  but  the  fact  that  they  are  done,  and  the  use  which 
they  serve  in  the  widening  of  the  child's  experience  and  the  quicken- 
ing of  his  emotional  Ufe,  are  manifest  to  all  observers. 

Many  plays  of  children,  however,  point  to  the  future  rather  than 
to  the  past.  The  child  not  only  plays  Indian,  but  he  plays  store- 
keeper and  street-car  conductor  and  postman.  In  this  fashion  he 
acquaints  himself  wdth  a  great  number  of  occupations  upon  which 
our  present-day  civiHzation  rests  and  which  he  and  others  with  him 
must  carry  on  when  he  and  they  become  adults.  Sometimes  even  a 
hint  of  a  future  career  may  be  obtained  through  observation  of  the 
preferences  which  a  child  shows  in  the  matter  of  these  imitative  plays 
and  the  proficiencies  which  he  develops. 

The  chief  function  of  the  child's  imitation  of  the  Hfe  about  him  is 
not,  however,  to  connect  him  with  a  possible  future  occupation,  but 
to  widen  and  deepen  the  current  of  his  present  experience.  Through 
the  essential  dramatic  quahty  which  his  plays  exhibit  he  enters  into 
sympathy  with  practically  every  feature  of  his  surroundings,  for  he 
may  play  at  being  a  horse  or  a  tree  as  well  as  at  being  a  farmer  or  a 
storekeeper. 

b.  Modern  attitude  toward  play. — It  is  easy,  then,  in  the  light  of 
the  foregoing,  to  understand  why  the  modern  attitude  toward  play 
is  one  of  encouragement  and  direction  rather  than  one  of  suppression 
and  neglect.  However,  it  is  to  be  doubted  if  modern  education  makes 
even  yet  a  sufficient  use  of  the  play  impulse,  and  especially  of  the 
dramatic,  or  dramatizing,  tendency  which  so  many  of  the  plays  of 

26 


MIDDLE  CHILDHOOD  (SIX  TO  NINE  YEARS) 

children  exhibit.  How  many  Sunday-school  teachers  of  Primary 
classes  have,  for  example,  considered  the  possibility  of  having  their 
pupils  learn  Bible  stories  through  the  actual  dramatic  representation 
of  the  incidents  with  which  these  stories  deal?  Yet  such  stories  as 
those  of  Jacob  and  Esau,  Joseph  and  His  Brethren,  Ruth  and  Naomi, 
David  and  Jonathan,  and  many  others,  are  rich  in  dramatic  possibiH- 
ties. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 

Hall. — "Aspects  of  Child  Life  and  Education,"  Art;  Contents  of 
Children's  Minds. 

CoLViN. — "The  Learning  Process."     Ch.  XIX. 
PiLLSBURY. — "The  Essentials  of  Psychology."     Ch.  V. 
KiRKPATRiCK. — "Fundamentals  of  Child  Study."     Ch.  IX. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Why  does  the  young  child  find  the  handling  of  the  pencil  or 
pen  in  writing  so  diflficult  and  tiring? 

2.  Find  illustrations  of  school  exercises  which  help  the  child  to 
understand  the  social  and  industrial  life  outside  the  school. 

3.  Why  is  the  appeal  to  passive  attention  an  insufficient  means  for 
the  government  of  a  class?  Illustrate  in  this  connection  the  use  of 
the  appeal  to  active  attention. 

4.  Find  specific  instances  of  childish  behavior  which  could  not 
properly  be  judged  by  adult  standards. 

5.  What  is  meant  by  the  expression,  "prudential  morahty"?  Give 
instances  of  such  morahty.     What  are  its  defects? 

6.  Distinguish  between  the  play  of  young  children,  the  sports  of 
youth,  and  the  amusements  and  relaxations  of  adults,  (a)  as  to  the 
amount  and  character  of  the  physical  activity  involved,  (b)  as  to  the 
ends  which  each  serves. 

7.  Find  further  instances  of  children's  plays  which  have  the  back- 
ward look,  the  forward  look,  the  outward  look.  Show  that  these 
aspects  are  frequently  combined. 

8.  Give  further  illustrations  of  the  dramatizing  tendency  in  chil- 
dren's plays.  Suggest  further  uses  for  this  tendency  in  Sunday- 
school  work. 


27 


STUDY  V 

LATER  CHILDHOOD  (NINE  TO  TWELVE  YEARS) 

PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

The  period  under  consideration  is  one  of  relatively  slow  growth, 
and  hence  there  is  opportunity  for  the  organization  of  connections 
between  brain  centers  and  for  the  perfecting  of  the  control  of  the 
muscles.  With  muscular  control  there  comes  an  increased  apprecia- 
tion of  the  meaning  of  skill,  and  frequently  as  well  the  willingness  to 
make  repeated  efforts  until  skill  is  achieved.  The  child  in  this  period 
completes  his  mastery  of  the  fundamental  school  arts  of  reading  and 
writing,  and  thus  obtains  a  means  of  self-improvement  and  enlarge- 
ment the  importance  of  which  it  is  impossible  to  overestimate.  Dur- 
ing his  play  hours  he  attempts,  and  as  a  rule  masters,  a  large  number 
of  movements,  some  of  them  quite  complex,  which,  during  the  earlier 
period,  were  wholly  beyond  his  interest  and  his  powers.  His  need  for 
constant  activity  often  makes  him  a  source  of  annoyance  and  em- 
barrassment and  sometimes  of  anxiety  to  parents,  teachers,  and  others 
in  whose  care  he  is  placed,  while  his  growing  consciousness  of  his  own 
powers  may,  under  certain  conditions,  lead  to  a  positive  rebellion 
against  authority. 

MENTAL  DEVELOPMENT 

1.  Interest  in  the  acquirement  of  skill. — During  this  period,  as  has 
been  said,  the  child  becomes  critical  in  the  matter  of  the  performance 
of  various  physical  acts.  Formerly  the  activity  gave  him  pleasure 
enough;  now  he  wishes  the  added  pleasure  which  comes  from  suc- 
cessfully directed  activity.  For  example,  the  very  young  child  gets  a 
great  deal  of  satisfaction  from  the  mere  throwing  of  a  ball;  the  child 
of  ten,  however,  wishes  not  only  to  throw,  but  to  hit  a  mark  or  to 
throw  a  certain  distance.  In  order  that  he  may  do  this  he  is  gen- 
erally willing  to  practice  until  the  desired  result  is  achieved.  He 
likes  to  try  to  do  hard  things,  and  since,  of  course,  his  understanding 

28 


LATER  CHILDHOOD  (NINE  TO  TWELVE  YEARS) 

of  his  own  powers  and  his  knowledge  of  the  nature  of  things  about  him 
are   both  Hmited,  he  often  attempts  the  dangerous  or  the  impossible. 

2.  Capacity  for  active  attention. — The  need  for  physical  exercise  in 
the  form  of  free  play,  which  often  amounts  to  a  veritable  hunger, 
makes  the  child  of  this  age  very  restless  under  school  conditions  which 
require  him  to  sit  still  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time.  Apart  from  the  dis- 
tractions of  outside  stimuli,  his  physical  restlessness  will,  as  a  rule,  be 
enough  to  cause  inattention,  if  not  disorder.  He  can,  however,  at- 
tend actively  to  class  work  in  which  he  participates,  and  in  which  he  is 
interested.  Standing  and  answering  questions  is,  of  course,  one  form 
of  participation,  but,  as  a  rule,  it  is  not  nearly  sufficient.  The  child 
should  participate  on  a  large  scale,  and  other  muscles  besides  the  vocal 
muscles  should  be  called  into  exercise.  The  so-called  constructive 
activities  which  are  employed  with  younger  pupils  for  the  purpose  of 
acquainting  them  with  the  objects  and  processes  of  the  life  about 
them  may  take  on  at  this  time  something  of  the  nature  of  tasks  which 
are  definitely  assigned  and  definitely  exacted.  The  child  is  now  at 
an  age  when  he  should  appreciate  the  meaning  of  work  as  distin- 
guished from  mere  play. 

3.  The  formation  of  habit. — This  period  is  of  especial  importance  in 
this  connection.  This  is  partly  because  the  brain  centers  have 
developed  sufficiently  to  take  on  readily  those  changes  which  are  in- 
volved in  habit,  partly  because  the  child  has  the  time  necessary  for 
the  repetition  of  the  acts  which  the  habit  involves,  and  partly  because 
his  growing  intelhgence  is  able  to  fit  the  habits  acquired  into  the 
general  scheme  of  his  Hfe.  He  now  perfects  many  of  the  habits  begun 
in  early  and  middle  childhood.  Having  learned  to  speak  in  the  earlier 
stages,  he  now  learns  in  a  practical,  if  not  in  a  theoretic,  way  some- 
thing of  the  meaning  of  grammatical  speech.  He  is  now  able  to  com- 
plete his  mastery  of  those  personal  and  social  habits  involved  in  dress- 
ing himself,  caring  for  his  personal  appearance,  behaving  acceptably 
in  company,  and  along  with  the  skill  which  the  possession  of  these 
habits  involves  he  should  have  at  least  an  inkUng  of  why  they  are 
required  and  of  the  returns  which  they  bring. 

a.  The  use  of  compulsion  in  education. — It  will  always  be  a  ques- 
tion for  debate  how  much  of  compulsion  should  be  allowed  at  this 
stage.     The  answer  would  seem  to  be  just  as  much  compulsion  as  is 

29 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

necessary  to  give  in  the  individual  case  that  support  to  the  powers  of 
active  attention  without  which  the  desired  habits  would  not  be  formed. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  ordinary  child  at  this  stage  takes  compulsion, 
or  at  least  direction,  as  a  matter  of  course  and  submits  to  it  readily, 
pro\dding  the  seat  of  authority  is  recognized  as  being  both  just  and 
kindly.  Apart  from  kindness  and  justice,  the  virtue  most  needed  by 
the  parent  and  teacher  is  patience.  It  is  truly  line  upon  line  and  pre- 
cept upon  precept,  but  this  repetition  is  indispensable  if  the  founda- 
tions of  character  are  to  be  laid. 

4.  Memory. — Memory  is  a  form  of  habit,  and  so  depends  to  a 
large  extent  upon  the  factor  of  repetition.  There  are  two  types: 
rote  memory,  which  depends  upon  repetition  solely,  as  in  the  case  of  a 
child  learning  to  repeat  the  alphabet;  logical  memory,  where  the 
factor  of  understanding  occupies  the  chief  place.  The  latter  is  the 
more  economical  and  the  more  effective  type  of  memory,  but  it  needs 
to  be  supplemented  by  rote  memory.  It  may  be  fooUsh  to  require  a 
child  to  learn  by  heart  a  Bible  verse  of  the  meaning  of  which  he  has  not 
the  least  notion,  but  it  is  equally  foolish  to  expect  him  to  know  the 
verse  merely  through  ha\dng  it  explained  to  him. 

a.  The  use  of  memory  in  education. — Rote  memory  has  an  im- 
portant place  in  all  education,  and  especially  in  religious  education, 
since  the  latter  deals  with  a  subject  matter  the  value  of  which  depends 
not  only  upon  the  ideas  which  it  contains  but  also  upon  the  form  in 
which  those  ideas  find  expression.  In  fact,  form  and  content  are 
inseparably  united. 

The  period  of  later  childhood  has  been  generally  chosen  by  edu- 
cators as  one  during  which  decided  emphasis  should  be  placed  upon 
rote  memory.     The  reasons  for  this  are,  briefly,  as  follows: 

(1)  The  child  can  at  this  stage  endure  the  necessary  physical  effort 
and  mental  strain  without  injury  to  his  health. 

(2)  He  has  the  requisite  leisure  so  that  the  maximum  of  ease  and  of 
benefit  can  be  secured  by  distributing  the  repetitions  over  a  consider- 
able period  of  time. 

(3)  The  tedium  of  repetition  does  not  oppress  him  as  strongly  as  it 
does  the  youth  or  the  adult. 

(4)  He  has  at  this  stage  a  sufficient  command  of  the  spoken  lan- 
guage to  make  oral  repetition  fairly  easy. 

30 


LATER  CHILDHOOD  (NINE  TO  TWELVE  YEARS) 

(5)  His  understanding  is,  as  a  rule,  sufficiently  mature  for  him  to 
grasp  the  meaning  of  what  he  is  required  to  learn.  The  teacher  can 
thus  with  profit  use  the  method  of  logical  memory  as  an  aid  to  that  of 
rote  memory. 

5.  Imagination. — Many  people  think  of  imagination  as  a  power  or 
activity  which  creates  a  sort  of  unreal  world,  one  which,  while  it  may 
be  at  times  very  pleasant,  is  still  very  different  from  the  world  which 
is  revealed  to  us  through  our  perception  and  confirmed  by  our  judg- 
ment. The  fact  is,  however,  that  the  chief  function  of  imagination  is 
to  add  reality  to  our  experiences,  rather  than  to  take  it  away,  since, 
by  bringing  up  images  of  things,  persons,  and  events  not  actually 
present  to  our  senses,  it  gives  to  the  world  of  sight  and  sound  and 
touch  and  taste  and  smell  a  completeness  and  a  meaning  which  other- 
wise it  could  not  possess. 

In  any  action  which  is  not  purely  an  instinctive  one  we  are  guided 
by  pictures  or  images  of  the  next  step  or  of  some  result  which  we  ex- 
pect to  follow,  and  this  is  as  true  of  the  child  as  of  the  adult.  These 
pictures  are  not  of  the  eye  alone,  but  may  involve  any  one  of  our 
senses.  The  child  who  gets  himself  a  drink  of  water  has  in  advance 
some  sort  of  image  of  the  pleasant  coolness  of  the  drink,  and  very 
probably  also  of  certain  necessary  steps  in  the  quenching  of  his  thirst, 
such  as  filling  the  glass  and  raising  it  to  his  lips.  These  anticipatory 
images  serve  as  guides  to  the  desired  result. 

In  addition  to  this  matter-of-fact  use  of  the  imagination  there  is 
also  its  playful  use,  as  illustrated  in  fancy  and  reverie.  In  such  cases 
the  mere  making  and  relating  of  our  images  seem  to  go  on  without 
any  reference  to  the  uses  they  may  be  made  to  serve.  With  the 
young  child  the  images  which  are  created  in  play  or  which  arise 
unbidden  in  connection  with  some  ordinary  or  extraordinary  bit  of 
experience  may  assume  the  value  of  actual  occurrences  and  may  lead 
to  what  are  called  "children's  lies."  These  latter  are  often,  as  we 
know,  not  lies  in  the  true  sense  of  the  term,  but  instances  of  mental 
confusion  arising  from  an  exuberant  or  an  uncontrolled  imagination, 

a.  The  use  of  imagination  in  general  education. — The  training  of  the 
imagination  has  two  aspects,  the  first  a  negative  one,  in  the  sense  that 
the  child  is  enabled  to  distinguish  fact  from  fancy  and  is  furnished 
with  incentives  toward  the  control  of  fancy  by  fact,  and  the  second  a 

31 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

positive  one,  in  the  sense  that  he  is  helped  to  use  his  imagination  in  the 
interpretation  of  facts  and  in  giving  them  a  worthy  and  sufficient 
setting. 

Both  these  aspects  of  the  problem  have  an  important  place  in  the 
education  of  later  childhood.  By  that  time  children's  Hes,  when 
they  occur,  take  on  a  moral  quality,  since  they  then  are  almost  certain 
to  involve  either  a  reprehensible  carelessness  or  a  positive  intention  to 
deceive.  The  social  necessity  and  the  moral  dignity  of  strict  adher- 
ence to  the  truth  can  now  be  more  clearly  and  convincingly  set  forth 
than  with  younger  children.  By  that  time  also  the  ordinary  child 
has  learned  to  read,  and  frequently  to  read  on  his  own  account  for  the 
pleasure  and  profit  thus  to  be  obtained.  The  horizon  of  his  experience 
is  in  consequence  greatly  enlarged  by  taking  on  something  of  the  vast- 
ness  of  that  horizon  which  bounds  the  experience  of  the  race. 

b.  The  use  of  imagination  in  religious  education. — The  study  of  the 
Bible  makes  a  heavy  demand  upon  the  imaginative  power  of  children. 
In  the  first  place  it  is  the  Uterature  of  a  highly  imaginative  people,  a 
people  who  in  ordinary  conversation  used  figures  of  speech  which 
would  never  occur  to  us,  or,  if  they  occurred,  would  rarely  be  em- 
ployed by  such  plain-speaking  and  matter-of-fact  persons  as  our- 
selves. In  the  second  place,  these  figures  of  speech  were  drawn  from 
natural  surroundings  and  from  a  social  hfe  very  different  from  our 
own.  Take,  as  a  single  example,  the  life  of  the  oriental  shepherd. 
Both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments  abound  with  references  to  it, 
and  yet  not  one  child  in  a  hundred  in  many  of  our  Sunday  schools 
has  any  adequate  picture  of  that  Hfe,  to  say  nothing  of  a  genuine 
emotional  appreciation  of  the  practical  wisdom,  the  constant  watch- 
fulness, and  the  tender  solicitude,  which  made  up  the  attitude  of  the 
shepherd  toward  his  flock.  There  is  the  truth  of  poetry,  if  not  the 
truth  of  fact,  in  the  story  of  the  small  boy  who  was  terrified  at  the  idea 
of  being  "Jesus'  lamb"  because  the  expression  brought  to  his  mind, 
not  a  picture  of  the  Good  Shepherd  who  calls  his  sheep  by  name  and 
who  carries  the  lambs  in  his  bosom,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a  vivid  and 
disquieting  recollection  of  a  visit  to  a  neighboring  butcher  shop. 

The  training  of  the  imagination  and  its  constant  exercise  in  Bible 
study  have  then  a  profound  significance,  since  only  by  these  means 
can  we  get  beyond  the  letter  that  kills  and  partake  of  that  life-giving 

32 


LATER  CHILDHOOD  (NINE  TO  TWELVE  YEARS) 

spirit  which  may  be  the  source  of  light  and  joy  to  the  child  as  well  as 
to  the  grown  man. 

6.  The  ideals  of  later  childhood. — Many  writers  have  called  atten- 
tion to  the  independence  and  relative  self-sufficiency  of  children  at 
this  period.  Such  virtues  as  truthfulness,  justice,  and  bravery,  as 
they  are  exhibited  in  adult  life  or  are  illustrated  in  Bible  or  other  his- 
torical characters,  frequently  make  a  strong  appeal  just  because  they 
are  on  a  more  heroic  scale  than  that  which  is  ordinarily  possible  in  the 
narrow  world  of  the  child.  Hence  this  incipient  capacity  for  hero 
worship  can  be  used  to  furnish  the  child's  memory  with  individual 
instances  of  worthy  and  noble  conduct.  Their  complete  appropria- 
tion will  wait,  however,  upon  the  intellectual  and  emotional  enlarge- 
ment which  comes  with  adolescence. 

Note. — It  may  be  well  to  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  directly  to 
the  fact  that  Memory  and  Imagination  are  chosen  for  specific  treat- 
ment in  this  chapter,  not  because  they  might  not  be  treated  with  a 
considerable  measure  of  appropriateness  in  earHer  or  in  later  chapters, 
but  because  the  forms  of  mental  activity  which  go  by  these  names 
have,  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  an  especial  importance  at  the  stage 
of  later  childhood. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 
PiLLSBURY. — "Essentials  of  Psychology."     Ch.  VIII. 
James.— "Talks  to  Teachers."     Chs.  VIII,  IX,  XII. 
Betts.— "The  Mind  and  Its  Education."     Chs.  V,  VIII,  IX. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Find  illustrations  of  the  interest  in  technique  (i.  e.,  development 
of  skill)  which  is  said  to  characterize  this  period. 

2.  How  do  you  distinguish  between  play  and  work?  What  moral 
value  is  there  in  work  as  distinguished  from  play? 

3.  Does  respect  for  child  nature  demand  that  compulsion  should 
never  be  employed  in  dealing  with  children? 

4.  On  the  basis  of  suggestions  contained  in  this  chapter  plan  an 
effective  method  of  helping  a  class  to  memorize  a  set  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture {e.  g.,  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  or  The  Beatitudes). 

5.  Find  instances  from  the  Bible  of  the  oriental  fondness  for 
imagery.  Show  how  these  particular  bits  of  imagery  might  be  made 
clear  to  the  mind  of  the  ordinary  Western  child. 

6.  Of  what  use  to  a  pupil  of  this  age  is  the  study  of  Old  Testament 
geography? 

33 


STUDY  VI 
ADOLESCENCE 

MEANING  OF  THE  TERM 

Adolescence,  or  youth,  is  the  name  used  in  educational  discussions 
to  designate  a  period  of  ten  or  more  years  following  upon  childhood 
proper,  and  leading  to  the  full  maturity  of  the  adult  man  or  woman. 
Its  beginning  is  marked  by  the  physiological  change  known  as  pubes- 
cence, and  throughout  the  period  the  sex  factor  is  powerfully  operative. 

EARLY  ADOLESCENCE  (TWELVE  TO  FIFTEEN  YEARS) 
The  physiological  changes  with  which  adolescence  begins  take 
place  earlier  among  certain  races  than  among  others.  This  seems  to 
be  due  chiefly  to  the  influence  of  cHmate,  since  as  a  rule  northern 
races  mature  later  than  southern  races.  It  is  also  worth  noting  that 
with  girls  these  changes  begin  one  or  two  years  earHer  than  with  boys. 
This  fact  has  its  bearing  upon  the  classification  of  pupils  and  upon 
the  problem  of  mixed  classes,  since  it  is  manifestly  unwise  to  place  in 
the  same  classes  and  to  treat  by  the  same  methods  pupils  some  of 
whom  are  adolescents  and  others  of  whom  are  still  preadolescents. 

PHYSICAL  GROWTH  DURING  ADOLESCENCE 

Growth  during  adolescence  is  more  rapid  than  in  any  other  period 
except  infancy.  Growth  in  height  precedes  growth  in  weight,  and  is 
practically  complete  at  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  of  age.  Growth 
in  weight  may  continue  till  well  on  into  middle  life.  The  rapid  length- 
ening of  the  bones  which  the  increase  in  height  involves  is  not  always 
accompanied  immediately  by  the  desirable  muscular  adjustments. 
Consequently  the  youth  in  his  early  teens  suffers  from  growing  pains 
and  also  seems  to  lose  the  muscular  skill  which  he  formerly  possessed. 
This  awkwardness  is  apt  to  make  him  shy  as  well  as  ungainly  in  ap- 
pearance, and  calls  for  a  sympathetic  understanding,  together  with  a 
relaxation  of  those  school  and  other  tasks  which  involve  a  large  ele- 
ment of  skill.    This  temporary  lack  of  skill  is  compensated  in  a 

34 


ADOLESCENCE 

measure  by  rapid  growth  in  strength,  accompanied  by  a  desire  on  the 
part  of  the  youth  for  games  and  exercises  in  which  this  mcreased 
strength  may  be  displayed. 

The  growth  of  the  frame  as  a  whole  is  paralleled  by  the  growth  ot 
the  various  vital  organs,  notably  the  heart,  the  lungs,  and  the  bram. 
It  is  generally  beheved  that  within  the  brain  the  higher  centers,  those 
which  are  not  directly  connected  with  the  senses  and  the  muscles, 
develop  most  rapidly  during  this  period.  These  centers  are  pre- 
sumably the  seat  of  the  associative,  or  thought,  processes. 

MENTAL  CHARACTERISTICS 

There  are  many  interesting  parallels  between  the  mental  and  the 
physical  Hfe  of  adolescence.  The  same  instability  is  present  m  both 
spheres.  ''The  adolescent  longs  for  excitement,  contrast,  move- 
ment, psychically  just  as  his  body  longs  for  exercise  and  tensions. 
Certain  attitudes  of  mind  and  forms  of  behavior  are  so  new  and  so 
striking  that  they  seem  to  rank  with  the  instincts  which  make  their 
appearance  in  infancy  and  early  childhood. 

1.  The  use  of  the  reasoning  powers.— The  older  psychology  re- 
served the  period  of  adolescence  for  the  training  of  the  powers  of 
reason  This  we  now  know  is  an  impossibihty,  and  would,  even  if  it 
were  possible,  be  a  grave  mistake.  The  child  reasons  from  the  dawn 
of  consciousness  onward,  but  he  reasons,  as  we  have  seen,  within  the 
narrow  sphere  of  his  childish  interests,  and  even  there  in  a  relatively 
imperfect  and  incomplete  fashion.  With  the  coming  of  adolescence, 
however,  he  displays  a  desire  to  know  and  a  wiUingness  to  investigate 
which  were  largely  absent  in  the  preadolescent  stage. 

This  fact  is  signaUzed  in  his  pubhc-school  Hfe  by  the  introduction 
of  scientific  studies  as  distinguished  from  the  casual  and  rather  super- 
ficial study  of  nature  which  belongs  to  the  earUer  period.  He  enters 
also  upon  the  study  of  algebra  and  geometry,  which,  although  usually 
regarded  as  separate  subjects,  are,  after  all,  only  generaUzed  forms  of 
arithmetic  and  mensuration. 

The  adolescent  pupil  demands  not  only  new  and  higher  subjects 
of  study:  he  demands  also  a  method  of  teaching  in  which  the  appeal 
to  authority  is  relaxed  and  the  appeal  to  his  own  judgment  is  en- 
larged    He  is  able,  for  example,  in  his  Sunday-school  work  to  go 

35 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

beyond  story  and  biography  and  the  memorization  of  selected  passages 
and  to  analyze  motives  and  to  appreciate  logical  connections  and  his- 
torical sequences.  In  the  language  of  Paul,  he  begins  to  "put  away 
childish  things"  and  to  understand,  to  think,  and  even  to  speak,  that 
is,  to  weigh  evidence  and  pronounce  judgment,  as  a  man, 

2.  The  attraction  of  the  opposite  sex. — This  has  a  powerful  influence 
upon  general  behavior  and  shows  itself  especially  in  dress,  in  speech,, 
and  in  the  realm  of  taste.  The  desire  on  the  part  of  boys  to  "show 
off  "  in  the  presence  of  girls  and  what  we  speak  of  as  maidenly  reserve 
and  shyness  on  the  part  of  girls  both  have  their  roots  in  the  positions 
occupied  by  the  two  sexes  during  the  history  of  the  race.  The  male 
sex  has,  as  it  were,  taken  the  initiative,  while  the  female  sex  has  per- 
formed the  function  of  judge  and  thus,  by  approval  and  disapproval, 
has  served  to  fix  certain  quahties  of  the  masculine  character  and  to 
eUminate  others.  In  so  far  as  during  the  progress  of  the  species  there 
has  been  competition  for  mascuKne  favor  among  the  females  of  the 
group  there  have  developed  also  certain  positive  qualities  of  feminine 
behavior  in  dress,  speech,  and  manner. 

3.  The  attraction  of  the  group. — This  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  while 
the  games  of  young  children  are  predominantly  competitive,  the 
games  of  youth  are  predominantly  cooperative.  While  this  large  co- 
operative element  is  made  possible  by  the  increased  intelHgence  which 
is  able  to  understand  and  to  apply  elaborate  rules,  such  as  those  of  the 
more  popular  games  of  the  present  day,  it  finds  its  origin  in  a  broaden- 
ing and  deepening  of  the  emotional  life  which  leads  the  youth  to  find 
his  chief  satisfaction  in  group  activity  and  achievement. 

In  the  early  years  of  adolescence  there  is  apt  to  develop  what  has 
been  called  the  "gang"  spirit.  The  "gang"  is  characterized  by  a 
pronounced  spirit  of  exclusiveness.  It  gives  scope  for  the  quahties  of 
leadership  and,  as  a  rule,  has  its  acknowledged  head.  Its  activities 
may  be  of  almost  any  sort,  helpful,  harmless,  and  even  criminal,  and 
it  may  so  dominate  a  boy's  interest  as  to  place  both  school  and  home 
in  a  secondary  position  so  far  as  influence  upon  character  is  concerned. 

Under  ordinary  conditions  the  "gang"  spirit  and  tendency  can  be 
made  to  contribute  to  wholesome  ends  by  providing  opportunity  for 
group  activity  along  lines  which,  though  distinctively  educative  in 
their  character,  still  make  a  strong  instinctive  appeal.     The  boy 

36 


ADOLESCENCE 

scout  movement  is  perhaps  the  best  illustration  at  the  present  day  of 
the  utilization  of  the  gang  spirit  toward  social  ends  which  are  approved 
by  the  community.  It  takes  cognizance  of  the  boy's  natural  pride  in 
physical  prowess  and  physical  skill,  his  interest  in  woodcraft  and  the 
hfe  of  the  open  air,  and  his  desire  to  win,  by  some  act  of  service,  the 
approval  of  his  fellows.  One  can  see  how  readily  such  an  organiza- 
tion lends  itself  to  instruction  and  training  in  such  important  matters 
as  morals,  personal  hygiene,  and  patriotism,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
religious  message  and  influence  which  this  instruction  and  training 
may  be  made  to  bear. 

4.  Hero  worship. — This  has  an  important  place  in  the  life  of  the 
adolescent.  In  the  early  teens  the  heroes  arc  usually  men  of  action — 
soldiers,  explorers,  athletes.  In  later  adolescence  the  scope  of  the 
heroic  is  enlarged  and  comes  to  include  the  passive  as  well  as  the 
active  quahties  of  heroism.  This  fact  arises  in  part  from  an  increased 
personal  experience,  in  part  from  more  highly  developed  powers  of 
analysis,  and  in  part,  also,  from  that  broadening  of  the  sympathies 
which  comes  through  an  introduction  to  the  experience  of  the  race  as 
it  is  revealed  in  literature  and  art. 

This  hero  worship  seems  to  be  a  necessity  of  the  period,  so  that  in 
absence  of  pure  gold,  gilt  and  tinsel  are  made  to  sufifice.  One  task  of 
education  is  to  furnish  models  for  admiration  and  for  imitation,  so 
that  the  lower  is  gradually  supplanted  by  the  higher  until  the  highest 
type  of  all,  as  revealed  in  the  Christian  religion,  obtains  the  allegiance 
and  devotion  of  the  youth. 

It  is  to  be  noted  in  this  connection  that  imitation  goes  with  admira- 
tion. To  cherish  an  ideal  is  one  stage  toward  its  realization  in  our 
lives.  Recent  psychology  has  shown  that  the  will  is  not  a  separate 
department  of  mind  existing  in  comparative  isolation,  but  is  present 
in  every  activity  of  our  nature,  and  especially  in  those  elementary  and 
fundamental  activities  to  which  the  name  instinct  is  applied. 

Religious  education  is  fortunate  in  the  fact  that  in  the  Bible  we  have 
heroism  of  all  sorts  ranging  from  physical  prowess  and  personal  bravery 
in  the  face  of  physical  danger,  as  displayed  by  a  Samson  or  a  David, 
to  the  sublime  moral  heroism  which  is  exhibited  in  the  life  of  Jesus. 

It  is  to  be  noted,  also,  that  in  the  life  of  Jesus  we  have  exhibited 
certain  everyday  heroic  qualities,  such  as  contempt  of  physical  pain 

37 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

and  danger,  resourcefulness  in  emergencies,  and  resolute  opposition 
to  all  forms  of  meanness.  The  youth  who  is  not  ready  to  enter  into 
full  understanding  of  the  qualities  of  character  exhibited  in  Gethsem- 
ane  and  on  Calvary  can  at  least  appreciate  the  manhness  of  Jesus  in 
regard  to  those  virtues  and  qualities  which  are  not  exclusively  Chris- 
tian in  their  nature.  Hence  it  is  not  necessary,  in  order  to  study  the 
life  of  Jesus  profitably,  to  wait  for  a  maturity  which  will  enable  the 
pupil  to  enter  into  its  deeper  aspects. 

5.  The  development  of  altruism. — One  not  infrequently  notices 
striking  instances  of  unselfishness  in  the  behavior  of  very  young 
children.  It  would  be  unwise,  however,  to  regard  these  occasional 
acts  as  evidence  of  a  settled  habit  of  character.  Nature  seems  to 
demand  that  children  should  be  selfish  in  the  unmoral  sense  of  think- 
ing and  acting  mainly  for  their  own  personal  welfare.  The  unselfish- 
ness of  children  is  instinctive,  and  is  of  value  chiefly  as  furnishing  a 
basis  for  the  reasoned  and  intelligent  altruism  of  later  years.  Upon 
this  instinctive  basis  habits  may  be  built.  The  child  may  learn  to 
care  for  pets  and  for  younger  children.  He  may  learn  to  do  as  a 
matter  of  course  small  acts  of  ser\dce  for  his  elders.  The  tendencies 
which  he  displays  in  these  directions  may  be  confirmed  by  commenda- 
tion and  occasional  reward,  since  it  is  through  the  pleasure  which 
results  from  them  that  certain  forms  of  conduct  tend  to  persist. 

With  the  coming  of  adolescence,  however,  a  flood  of  Hght  is  thrown 
upon  these  earher  tendencies  and  modes  of  conduct.  The  youth  is 
able  to  take  himself  in  hand,  to  analyze  his  own  motives,  to  criticize 
the  models  which  are  held  up  for  his  imitation,  to  select  and  even  to 
shape  his  own  ideals.  It  is  true  that  we  should  desire  that  the  life  of 
social  service  and  social  obhgation  should  be  accepted  with  enthusi- 
asm, for  enthusiasm  is  the  natural  attitude  of  mind  for  the  normal 
youth.  But  we  as  teachers  should  seek  to  temper  and  guide  these 
enthusiasms,  for  next  to  callousness  and  indifference  there  is  nothing 
more  to  be  deplored  than  an  enthusiasm  which  fails  of  its  purpose 
through  the  lack  of  proper  understanding  of  the  Hmitations  and  the 
conditions  which  attach  to  the  particular  bit  of  work  proposed  for 
accomplishment.     Lowell  has  truthfully  said: 

"  There's  nothing  we  read  of  in  torture's  inventions 

Like  a  diligent  fool  with  the  best  of  intentions," 

38 


ADOLESCENCE 

and  that  noblest  of  men  and  of  Christian  counselors,  Charles  Kingsley, 
has,  not  without  some  show  of  reason,  been  blamed  for  the  meaning 
which  some  people  have  taken  from  his  oft-quoted  line,  "Be  good, 
sweet  maid,  and  let  who  will  be  clever."  The  warning  against  mere 
cleverness  or  superficial  cleverness,  which  was  what  Kingsley  in- 
tended, should  not  be  construed  as  implying  that  the  highest  goodness 
is  found  or  can  be  found  in  the  company  of  stupidity  or  ignorance. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Select  typical  Sunday-school  lessons  and  note  aspects  and 
methods  of  treatment  which  would  especially  fit  in  with  adolescent 
needs. 

2.  Find  instances  of  "showing  off"  and  of  adolescent  bashfulness. 

3.  Take  some  typical  adolescent  game  and  compare  it  with  the 
games  of  young  children  as  to  the  amount  of  cooperative  element 
which  is  involved.  Notice  also  the  increased  demand  for  intelligence 
as  shown  by  the  number  and  complexity  of  the  rules  involved. 

4.  Find  in  your  neighborhood  a  group  of  boys  who  have  joined  to- 
gether on  their  own  initiative  for  some  special  purpose.  How  is 
leadership  determined  in  such  an  organization?  How  might  such  an 
organization  be  improved  by  the  introduction  of  adult  suggestion  and 
guidance? 

5.  Make  a  list  of  the  heroes  and  heroines  (either  from  real  hfe  of 
from  fiction)  who  stood  highest  in  your  regard  at  different  periods 
during  your  adolescence.  Had  these  any  recognizable  influence  upon 
your  conduct?  If  you  have  access  to  a  group  of  adolescent  boys  or 
girls,  study  the  problem  in  connection  with  them  and  notice  the  rea- 
sons why  any  particular  hero  or  heroine  is  selected.  Is  there  any 
uniformity  in  the  reasons  given? 

6.  Find  instances  of  youthful  enthusiasms  which  have  either  failed 
Dr  disappeared.     Study  the  reasons  for  such  failure  or  disappearance. 


39 


STUDY  VII 

ADOLESCENCE  (Continued) 

MIDDLE  AND  LATER  ADOLESCENCE 

These  two  periods,  roughly  speaking,  fall  respectively  between  the 
years  fifteen  and  eighteen  and  eighteen  and  twenty-three  or  twenty- 
four.  Here,  however,  as  elsewhere  in  the  growth  of  the  human  indi- 
vidual, nature  takes  no  cognizance  of  sharp  dividing  lines.  Never- 
theless we  may  note  that  after  the  fundamental  physical  changes  noted 
under  the  head  of  early  adolescence  there  remain  to  be  accomplished 
certain  intellectual  and  spiritual  adjustments.  These  adjustments 
accompany  important  changes  in  the  family  and  social  relationships 
of  the  pupil.  No  longer  is  he  regarded  as  strictly  under  the  control 
of  parents  and  teachers,  dependent  upon  the  former  for  economic  sup- 
port and  moral  control,  and  upon  the  latter  for  intellectual  and  moral 
guidance.  Frequently  he  earns  his  own  living,  or  at  least  follows  some 
bread-winning  occupation.  If  he  continues  his  formal  education,  it 
is  often  under  conditions  which  remove  him  more  or  less  definitely 
from  home  control.  All  these  facts  are  of  decided  importance  in  any 
thoroughgoing  consideration  of  religious  education  during  this  period. 

"STORM  AND  STRESS" 
This  is  a  term  frequently  used  to  designate  the  intellectual  and  emo- 
tional instability  of  this  period.  The  youth  has  already  begun  to 
deal  with  the  great  problems  of  Ufe  on  his  own  account,  and  frequently 
by  way  of  reaction  from  authority  he  takes  up  radical  positions  upon 
social  and  religious  matters,  insomuch  as  to  cause  alarm  on  the  part 
of  his  seniors,  especially  those  of  his  seniors  who  do  not  distinguish 
between  these  preliminary  venturings  of  the  youth  into  the  realm  of 
adult  interests  and  the  settled  intellectual  positions  of  the  fully  ma- 
tured adult.  This  is  not  to  say  that  the  opinions  of  youth  should  not 
be  taken  seriously,  or  that  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  what  young 
people  think  and  do;  it  is  merely  to  say  that  with  sympathetic  treat- 

40 


ADOLESCENCE 

ment  and  the  absence  of  the  spirit  of  coercion  the  youth  tends,  as  a 
rule,  to  correct  his  own  extravagances  of  thought  and  feeling. 

One  cause  of  the  reaction  and  skepticism  of  this  period,  a  reaction 
which  often  shows  itself  in  an  indifference  toward  religion  and  re- 
ligious matters,  is  the  absence  of  sufficient  flexibility  in  the  matter  and 
the  method  of  religious  education.  The  youth  desires  to  work  out 
the  big  problems  of  human  life  and  destiny  for  himself,  and  the  Bible 
solution  for  these  problems  fails  to  satisfy  him  unless  he  can  be  brought 
to  see  that  the  Bible  supports  his  own  intuitions  in  regard  to  rehgious 
and  moral  questions.  Skepticism,  as  the  word  is  ordinarily  used,  is 
too  harsh  a  term  for  this  attitude  of  mind;  it  is  rather  an  "honest 
doubt"  which  may  be  made  the  parent  of  all  that  is  highest  and  best 
in  the  Christian  faith. 

THE  DANGERS  OF  INTROSPECTION 
It  is  a  well-recognized  fact  that  youth  is  peculiarly  susceptible  to 
periods  of  depression.  This  depression  sometimes  arises  from  a  too 
close  and  a  too  constant  attention  to  the  changes  which  are  taking 
place  in  the  physical  Hfe,  so  that  a  morbid  condition  of  mind  fre- 
quently results,  and  abnormahty  or  incipient  vice  may  be  suspected 
where  none  really  exists.  A  tactful  and  high-minded  physician  is  an 
invaluable  counselor  in  such  circumstances,  since  by  the  authority 
which  his  expert  knowledge  confers  and  by  the  scientific  detachment 
w^hich  is  his  natural  attitude  toward  the  facts  of  the  physical  life  he  is 
able  to  save  the  youth  from  needless  fears  and  from  sinful  suggestion. 
Sometimes,  too,  the  youth  becomes  discouraged  by  the  difficulty 
of  the  moral  and  intellectual  problems  which  almost  inevitably  con- 
front him  and  which,  lacking  the  patience  of  the  experienced  adult, 
he  wishes  to  solve,  as  it  were,  out  of  hand.  An  excellent  remedy  for 
this  "greensickness  of  the  soul,"  as  it  has  been  called,  is  frequently 
found  in  the  presence  of  objective  interests,  that  is,  of  interests  which 
direct  the  attention  of  the  youth  away  from  himself.  The  study  of 
nature  in  its  broader  aspects  is  one  of  these,  as  is  also  the  study  of  the 
biographies  of  men  and  women  of  action,  such  as  inventors,  explorers, 
missionaries,  and  reformers.  A  further  means  of  diversion  from  morbid 
introspection  is  found  also  in  the  interest  in  sport,  with  its  accompani- 
ments of  cheerful  companionships  and  vigorous  physical  exercise. 

41 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

THE  VALUE  OF  YOUTH  IN  AND  OF  ITSELF 

One  great  danger  of  the  present  day  is  that  the  period  of  youth  may 
be  regarded  merely  as  a  transition  stage,  a  something  to  be  got  through 
with  as  soon  as  possible.  An  encouragement  to  this  attitude  is  found 
in  the  freedom  which  is  accorded  to  young  people  both  inside  and  out- 
side the  family  circle.  Our  present-day  civiHzation,  especially  that 
of  our  cities,  develops  a  certain  mental  and  moral  precocity  w^hich  is 
not  without  serious  effect  upon  the  physical  organism.  The  boy  be- 
comes a  man  and  the  girl  a  woman,  both  in  their  own  estimation  and 
in  that  of  others,  before  they  are  really  prepared  for  that  emancipa- 
tion from  external  control  which  adult  life  brings. 

There  are,  however,  certain  values  which  belong  to  this  period  in  and 
of  itself,  values  which  religious  education  should  seek  to  emphasize. 
The  deference  of  young  people  toward  their  elders,  and  the  obedience 
to  parents  which  is  so  strongly  enjoined  in  the  Scriptures,  have  a 
scientific  as  well  as  a  religious  warrant.  They  preserve  for  the  youth 
the  opportunity  of  a  steady  development  under  the  protection  of 
those  moral  safeguards  whose  worth  the  experience  of  the  race  has 
abundantly  demonstrated.  "Don't  be  in  a  hurry  to  grow  up,"  is 
a  good  maxim  for  those  thousands  of  young  people  for  whom  the 
glamour  of  adult  freedom  and  adult  amusements  obscures  the  real 
and  solid  opportunities  for  youthful  happiness  and  usefulness.  "Don't 
be  in  a  hurry  to  have  your  children  grow  up,"  is  a  maxim  needed 
by  those  parents  who  in  such  matters  as  dress,  hours  of  sleep,  the  use 
of  money,  and  the  choice  of  company  and  of  amusements,  fail  to  exer- 
cise over  their  children  that  wise  control  which  is  for  them  the  surest 
guarantee  of  a  happy  and  useful  manhood  and  womanhood  and  a 
wholesome  and  serene  old  age. 

THE  YOUTH  OF  THE  BIBLE 

We  have  in  the  Old  Testament  brief  descriptions  of  a  number  of 
adolescent  characters,  and  although  these  descriptions  are  not  in- 
tended as  scientific  analyses  of  human  nature  at  this  period,  they  are 
full  of  suggestiveness  to  the  teacher. 

Joseph. — In  the  story  of  Joseph's  dream  we  find  exhibited  those 
premonitions  of  future  greatness  which,  in  one  form  or  another,  have 

42 


ADOLESCENCE 

occurred  repeatedly  in  the  youth  of  distinguished  men.  If  there  is 
egotism  in  Joseph's  behavior,  it  is  the  pardonable  egotism  of  the  youth 
who  takes  himself  very  seriously  (as  every  youth  should)  and  who  has 
not  yet  learned  how  jealous  narrow  natures  are  apt  to  be  in  the 
presence  of  one  whom  in  their  hearts  they  recognize  as  their  superior. 

The  story  of  Joseph  in  Potiphar's  house  is  the  classical  illustration 
of  a  youth  assailed  by  sudden  and  fierce  temptation  and  withstanding 
that  temptation  in  the  strength  of  two  great  virtues,  faithfulness  to 
the  employer  who  had  trusted  him  and  loyalty  to  God. 

Moses. — The  incident  recorded  of  Moses  that  when  he  was  grown 
he  "went  out  unto  his  brethren,  and  looked  on  their  burdens,"  is 
especially  characteristic  of  the  youth  emerging  into  full  manhood,  al- 
though we  have,  of  course,  no  indication  in  the  text  of  the  exact  age 
of  Moses  when  the  event  took  place.  Moses  had  certainly  known  for 
years  of  the  "burdens"  of  the  Hebrews,  but  the  full  realization  of 
what  these  burdens  meant  in  terms  of  human  suffering  did  not  and,  in 
fact,  could  not  come  home  to  him  till  a  certain  maturity  of  both  his 
mental  and  his  moral  nature  had  been  reached. 

David. — Nowhere  else  in  all  Hterature  have  we  so  engaging  a  picture 
of  youth  with  all  the  charm  of  physical  strength  and  beauty,  of  mental 
alertness  and  moral  earnestness,  as  in  the  story  of  the  young  shepherd 
of  Bethlehem.  His  conduct  shows  a  ready  obedience  to  his  father 
and  a  proper  deference  to  the  opinions  of  his  elders,  and  yet  along  with 
these  quahties  he  displays  a  capacity  for  initiative  which  enables  him 
in  the  case  of  the  combat  with  Goliath  to  meet  promptly  and  effec- 
tively an  emergency  which  has  all  the  seriousness  of  a  national  crisis. 

Daniel  and  his  three  friends. — The  earlier  chapters  of  the  Book  of 
Daniel  deal  in  the  main  with  the  story  of  a  small  group  of  Hebrew 
youths  transported  to  a  foreign  country  and  compelled  to  live  in  an 
atmosphere  of  luxury,  falsehood,  jealousy,  and  idolatry.  The  out- 
standing lesson  of  these  chapters  is  the  one  of  constancy  to  ideals. 
Although  the  ideals  which  are  emphasized  are  ideals  of  personal  con- 
duct, their  importance  is,  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  of  the  book,  de- 
rived from  the  fact  that  they  are  rooted  in  the  religious  and  national 
life  of  the  Hebrew  people.  The  lesson  of  temperance  which  is  set 
forth  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  book  is  also  a  lesson  in  faithfulness  to 
the  Mosaic  Law  as  to  what  was  permissible  and  what  was  forbidden 

43 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

in  matters  of  food  and  drink.  Here,  as  the  reader  will  readily  see, 
is  an  Old  Testament  illustration  of  the  fact  that  a  man's  seemingly 
private  acts  affect  the  welfare  of  his  nation  and  of  the  race. 

One  of  the  great  temptations  of  youth  in  all  ages  has  been  the 
temptation  to  self-indulgence.  In  the  case  of  Daniel  and  his  friends 
this  temptation  is  made  vastly  greater  by  the  fact  that  it  comes  from 
an  officer  of  the  royal  court  acting  from  a  sense  of  duty  and  also,  ap- 
parently, from  a  feeling  of  friendship  toward  the  youths  placed  in  his 
charge.  The  moral  value  of  the  story  comes  not  only  from  the  con- 
stancy of  purpose  which  Daniel  and  his  friends  display,  but  also  from 
the  tact  through  which  opposition  is  disarmed.  A  further  lesson, 
and  one  which  is  greatly  needed  at  the  present  day,  is  found  in  the 
conception  of  temperance  set  forth,  viz.,  that  of  a  wise  restraint  of 
appetite  in  the  interest  of  health  and  in  the  interest  also  of  all  that 
makes  up  the  higher  nature  of  man. 

Jesus. — Only  once,  as  is  well  known,  is  the  curtain  lifted  which 
hides  the  boyhood  and  youth  of  Jesus.  When  twelve  years  of  age  he 
visits  Jerusalem,  and  after  the  departure  of  the  pilgrim  party  is  dis- 
covered by  his  distracted  parents  in  the  Temple  "sitting  in  the  midst 
of  the  teachers,  both  hearing  them,  and  asking  them  questions."  He 
seems  unable  to  understand  the  alarm  of  his  parents  at  his  disappear- 
ance, and  to  the  expostulations  of  his  mother  he  rephes,  "How  is  it  that 
ye  sought  me?     Knew  ye  not  that  I  must  be  in  my  Father's  house?  " 

Here  we  have,  it  would  seem,  a  picture  of  an  intellectual  and 
spiritual  awakening  brought  about  by  the  sudden  transference  from 
the  simple  and  comparatively  uneventful  life  of  the  GaHlaean  village 
to  the  varied  and  throbbing  life  of  the  nation's  capital.  Forces  which 
had  been  gathering  slowly  during  boyhood  assert  themselves  and 
Jesus  is  swept  irresistibly,  as  it  were,  into  the  larger  currents  of  the 
intellectual  and  religious  life  of  his  time.  Though  a  striking  phe- 
nomenon, it  is  not  an  isolated  one  to  find  the  passage  from  boyhood  to 
youth  marked  by  a  crisis  of  such  intensity  that  for  the  moment  the 
claims  of  parents  and  friends  and  of  the  ordinary  routine  of  Hfe  are 
forgotten.  With  the  return  to  Nazareth  the  life  of  Jesus  goes  on, 
outwardly  the  same  but  inwardly  quickened  and  transformed,  as  is 
indicated  by  the  significant  statement  that  he  "  advanced  in  wisdom 
and  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  men." 

44 


ADOLESCENCE 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 
In  connection  with  Chs.  VI  and  VII 

Hall.— "Youth."     Chs.  IX,  X. 

Andrews. — "Adolescent  Education"  (written  from  the  standpoint 
of  the  master  in  an  English  boys'  school,  but  of  value  to  all  teachers 
of  boys  and  young  men). 

Bagley. — "The  Educative  Process."     Ch.  XII. 

Monroe. — "Cyclopedia  of  Education,"  Art;  Adolescence. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  In  what  various  ways  is  the  approach  of  adulthood  recognized  by 
law  and  by  social  custom?  Is  fourteen  years  of  age  the  most  suitable 
period  for  the  close  of  compulsory  schooling? 

2.  What  are  some  of  the  more  general  reasons  why  boys  and  girls 
frequently  leave  school  before  they  are  compelled  to  do  so  and  before 
they  are  really  prepared  to  enter  any  adult  caUing?  Do  these  reasons 
operate  in  the  case  of  the  Sunday  school  as  well  as  in  the  case  of  the 
day  school? 

3.  What  is  the  truth,  if  any,  in  Tennyson's  Hnes : 

There  Hes  more  faith  in  honest  doubt, 
BeHeve  me,  than  in  half  your  creeds? 

4.  Give  instances  from  your  own  experience  or  observation  of  the 
value  of  "sufificient  flexibility  in  the  matter  and  the  method  of  re- 
Hgious  education"  so  far  as  classes  of  adolescents  are  concerned. 

5.  In  what  other  ways  besides  those  mentioned  do  young  people 
fail  to  realize  all  the  possibilities  of  youth? 

6.  Find  further  illustrations  from  the  Bible  of  adolescent  character 
and  adolescent  behavior. 


45 


STUDY  VIII 
THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  (UP  TO  SEVENTEEN  YEARS) 

THE  RELIGION  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN 

The  question,  "At  what  age  does  the  religious  Hfe  begin?"  cannot 
very  well  be  answered  experimentally.  The  observation  of  young 
children,  however,  leads  one  to  the  conclusion  that  they  display  char- 
atteristics  which,  if  not  religious  in  the  adult  sense  of  the  term,  may 
be  made  the  foundation  of  a  genuine  religious  experience.  Among 
these  are  the  child's  sense  of  the  mystery  and  the  wonder  of  the  world 
about  him,  his  feeling  of  dependence  upon  his  elders,  and  the  readi- 
ness with  which  his  affections  attach  themselves  to  parents,  teachers, 
and  others  who  interest  themselves  in  his  behalf.  There  is  also  to 
be  noticed  a  readiness  of  the  child  to  protect  objects,  animals,  and 
younger  children,  which  he  regards  as  placed  in  his  care,  and  also  the 
manifestations  of  the  social  spirit  in  his,  at  times,  almost  pathetic 
anxiety  to  be  of  service  to  others. 

THE  RELIGIOUS  EXPLANATION  OF  THE  WORLD  AND  OF 
HUMAN  LIFE 

At  a  very  early  age  the  child  accepts  with  whole-hearted  readiness 
the  fact  of  God  as  the  Creator  and  Preserver  of  all  things  animate 
and  inanimate.  So  conscious  is  he,  indeed,  of  his  own  abounding 
life,  and  so  prone  to  explain  everything  in  terms  of  life,  that  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  animate  and  the  inanimate  makes  Httle  appeal 
to  him.  While  the  doctrine  of  a  similarity  between  the  development 
of  the  mind  of  the  child  and  the  mind  of  the  race  has  been  used  by  some 
writers  with  an  uncritical  thoroughness,  it  certainly  is  of  service  in 
explaining  the  interest  which  the  child  shows  in  the  stories  in  which  the 
early  peoples  set  forth  their  conceptions  of  the  origin  of  the  world, 
of  human  life,  and  of  human  society. 

The  unique  appeal  to  the  ordinary  child  of  Old  Testament  stories 
arises  not  only  from  the  literary  skill  with  which  these  stories  are  told 

46 


THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  (UP  TO  SEVENTEEN  YEARS) 

and  the  adventurous  life  with  which  they  deal,  but  also,  and  chiefly 
because  of  an  affinity  between  the  child  mind  and  the  ethical  and  re- 
ligious views  which  are  embodied  in  them.  Moreover,  the  simple 
virtues  which  these  stories  exhibit-loyalty,  fortitude,  parental  and 
filial  love,  truth-teUing,  and  hospitaHty— are  the  virtues  which  the 
child  is  most  apt  to  find  demanded  by  the  simple  Hfe  of  home  and 
school  by  which  he  is  surrounded.  As  with  all  great  works  of  art, 
the  truths  embodied  in  these  stories  make  their  appeal  without  any 
formal  or  elaborate  attempt  to  extract  a  moral.  The  story  is  the 
moral,  and  to  present  the  story  in  a  vivid  and  appealing  way  is  to 
give  it  its  maximum  of  ethical  and  religious  value. 

THE  CHILD'S  DAILY  EXPERIENCE  A  KEY  TO  RELIGIOUS 

TRUTH 

There  is  only  one  way  by  means  of  which  the  child  may  really  ap- 
propriate the  great  truths  of  rehgion.  That  way  Hes  through  his 
own  experience  and  through  the  interpretation  of  that  experience 
which  he  is  enabled  to  make  through  the  aid  of  the  various  agencies 
of  rehgious  education.  Back  of  the  familiar  facts  of  nature  which 
his  daily  hfe  reveals  to  him  he  may  be  led  to  see  a  Providence  which 
is  as  loving  as  it  is  intimate.  The  petition  of  The  Lord's  Prayer, 
"Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  may  be  made  for  him  a  genuine 
and  heartfelt  confession  of  faith  in  the  divine  care  which  makes  the 
forces  of  soil  and  sunshine,  of  water  and  air,  minister  to  the  needs  of 
man.  His  sense  of  fellowship  with  all  created  things  in  the  divine 
protection  may  be  strengthened  by  a  study  of  the  ways  through  which 
the  life  of  plant  and  bird  and  animal  is  preserved  and  perpetuated. 

It  is  in  the  life  of  the  family,  however,  that  the  most  helpful  illus- 
trations of  religious  truth  are  to  be  found.  God  is  our  heavenly 
Father,  and  sad  indeed  is  the  lot  of  any  child  who  does  not  find  in  the 
behavior  of  his  earthly  parents  some  hint  of  the  meaning  of  the  eternal 
Fatherhood.  Christ  is  our  Elder  Brother,  and  what  that  Brother- 
hood means  may  be  understood  in  part  at  least  through  the  child's 
experience  of  the  sympathy,  the  forbearance,  and  the  helpfulness  ot 
the  brotherly  relation  as  he  himself  experiences  it.  The  fact  of  sin 
is  first  revealed  to  him  through  the  occurrence  within  the  family 

47 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

circle  of  such  acts  as  disobedience  and  violation  of  the  rights  of  others, 
while  the  joy  of  forgiveness  and  the  obhgation  to  better  living  which 
forgiveness  entails  are  features  of  the  relationships  between  child 
and  parent  which  both  the  prophets  and  Jesus  used  repeatedly  as 
illustrations  of  the  relationship  which  they  sought  to  promote  between 
man  and  God.  And  it  is  the  virtues  which  were  first  developed  in  the 
Ufe  of  the  family  that  the  reUgious  teaching  of  the  present  day  seeks  to 
estabHsh  as  the  basis  of  human  conduct  in  its  wider  national  and  inter- 
national aspects. 

EXTERNAL  CHARACTER  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE  OF 
CHILDREN 

While  children  may  and,  as  a  rule,  do  experience  a  genuine  religious 
life,  this  Hfe  is  external  in  its  character  as  compared  with  that  possible 
to  the  adult.  The  child  may  and  should  be  introduced  to  the  various 
rehgious  observances  which  are  practiced  by  his  elders,  but  not  with 
the  expectation  that  he  will  appreciate  in  anything  Uke  their  fullness 
the  significance  of  these  observances.  Private  prayer,  attendance 
upon  church  worship,  giving  for  rehgious  and  philanthropic  purposes, 
should  be  practiced  by  the  child,  but  more  to  the  end  that  habits  may 
be  established  than  that  all  the  spiritual  possibilities  latent  in  these 
exercises  may  immediately  be  reaHzed. 

THE  MORAL  AND  RELIGIOUS  AT:M0SPHERE 

On  account  of  their  extreme  sensitiveness  to  suggestion,  children 
are  profoundly  influenced  by  the  spirit  which  actuates  the  daily  Ufe 
of  those  about  them.  In  the  home,  in  the  day  school,  in  the  Sunday 
school,  they  take  color,  as  it  were,  from  their  surroundings.  Because 
of  the  potency  of  environment,  circumstances  which  are  regarded  by 
adults  as  trivial  may  have  tremendous  influence  in  shaping  the  Hves 
and  opinions  of  children.  This  doubtless  arises  from  the  fact  that 
in  deahng  with  children  adults  are  frequently  off  their  guard,  as  it 
were,  and  reveal  their  natural  selves  more  frankly  than  they  would 
were  they  deahng  with  persons  as  mature  as  themselves,  and  it  is  the 
real  self  of  the  adult,  rather  than  the  self  overlaid  by  social  convention, 
that  the  child  inchnes  to  imitate. 

48 


THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  (UP  TO  SEVENTEEN  YEARS) 

IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  ADOLESCENT  PERIOD 

As  has  been  shown  in  an  earlier  chapter,  the  period  of  adolescence 
marks  a  tremendous  advance  in  the  intellectual  and  moral  Hfe.  The 
profound  physical  changes  which  accompany  the  awakening  of  the 
sexual  life  are  accompanied  by  equally  profound  changes  in  thought 
and  conduct.  Among  the  more  important  considerations  to  be  borne 
in  mind  by  the  teacher  of  adolescents  are  the  following: 

1.  The  need  of  patience  and  sympathy.  The  awkwardness  of  the 
adolescent  often  makes  him  morbidly  sensitive,  though  this  sensi- 
tiveness may  mask  itself  under  the  extreme  of  self-assertion.  Ex- 
perienced educators  unite  in  recommending  a  relaxation  of  school 
tasks  out  of  consideration  for  the  nervous  and  emotional  instabihty 
which  generally  appears  at  this  period. 

2.  A  frank  recognition  of  the  need  of  instruction  in  the  facts  of  the 
sexual  life  as  a  safeguard  against  the  temptations  arising  from  un- 
regulated instinct  from  within  and  from  impure  suggestion  from  with- 
out. Almost  any  pohcy  in  this  matter  is  better  than  the  poHcy 
of  willful  neglect.  Frequently  it  happens  that  the  Sunday-school 
teacher,  because  of  the  respect  which  his  or  her  office  commands, 
has  a  unique  opportunity  in  this  connection. 

3.  The  intellectual  awakening  which,  as  a  rule,  accompanies  adoles- 
cence. The  adolescent  seeks  to  know  the  why  of  things  and  is  dis- 
trustful of  statements  made  merely  on  the  authority  of  the  teacher. 
Since  this  is  the  period  for  the  beginning  of  the  serious  study  of  science 
in  the  schools,  religious  education  should  recognize  this  dawning  of  the 
scientific  interest  by  providing  a  reasoned  statement  of  fundamental 
religious  principles. 

4.  The  awakening  of  the  social  consciousness.  In  early  adolescence 
the  boy  and  the  girl  definitely  seek  a  social  Hfe  outside  of  the  home, 
and  as  the  period  progresses  they  respond  more  and  more  fully  to  the 
claims  of  the  race  as  distinguished  from  the  narrower  claims  of  the 
home.  It  is  possible  and  desirable  to  satisfy  this  hunger  for  compan- 
ionship by  enlarging  the  social  activities  of  the  Sunday-school  class. 

THE  YOUTH  AND  THE  RELIGIOUS  APPEAL 

While  a  too  close  or  a  too  curious  pondering  of  our  religious  problems 
may  disturb  the  mental  balance,  the  true  function  of  religion  at  this 

49 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

period,  as  at  all  other  periods,  is  to  promote  sanity,  harmony,  and 
unity.  The  message  of  the  Gospels  is  one  of  deliverance  from  the 
divisions  which  sinful  tendencies  make  in  the  human  soul.  The 
tyranny  of  instinct  and  habit,  which  at  times  makes  reason  seem  so 
insufficient  and  so  puny  a  thing,  the  insistent  clamor  of  passion  and 
sense  which  not  infrequently  drowns  the  voice  of  conscience,  are  uni- 
versal human  experiences,  and  yet,  after  all,  the  road  to  the  hberty 
wherewith  Christ  makes  us  free  is  not  so  much  through  denial  and  self- 
mutilation  as  through  the  subordination  of  the  lower  to  the  higher. 
The  so-called  lower  tendencies  are  not  abrogated  by  the  religious  life; 
they  are  brought  into  subjection.  Like  fire  and  flood  and  other  forces 
of  nature  they  are  occasions  of  untold  mischief  when  undirected;  but 
they  are  reservoirs  of  energy  and  sources  of  untold  blessing  when 
properly  controlled.  In  some  such  way  all  the  powers  and  capacities 
of  our  human  nature  are  united  with  each  other  through  being  united 
with  the  spirit  and  purpose  of  Christ,  and  the  will  of  God  as  revealed 
in  Christ's  life  and  teaching.  All  other  means  for  the  solution  of  intel- 
lectual and  moral  difficulties  of  youth  are,  after  all,  then,  but  subor- 
dinate agencies  which  never  fully  accomplish  their  purpose  except  as 
they  participate  in  that  higher  and  more  complete  solution  which 
comes  with  the  acceptance  of  Christ  as  Friend  and  Saviour  and  Master 
and  Guide. 

The  openness  of  the  youthful  mind  and  the  quickening  within  that 
mind  of  forces  which,  if  not  reHgious  in  themselves,  are  at  least  re- 
ligious in  their  tendency,  make  this  a  critical  period  in  reHgious  edu- 
cation. The  presence  of  these  forces  makes  possible  the  development 
of  a  conscious  and  deliberate  interest  in  the  welfare  of  one's  fellows 
as  distinguished  from  the  instinctive  kindliness  and  helpfulness  of 
children.  Under  such  conditions  the  pure  and  exalted  altruism  of  the 
Gospels  may  be  presented  as  the  natural  satisfaction  of  this  outgoing 
of  the  emotions  toward  the  race  as  a  whole.  At  no  other  time  do  the 
life  and  the  teachings  of  Christ  make  so  overmastering  an  appeal. 
This  is  the  period,  above  all  others,  for  a  definite  decision  as  to  one's 
personal  attitude  toward  Christ.  There  is  need,  however,  of  a  word 
of  caution  against  the  exploiting  of  the  emotions.  The  emotional  life 
is  too  precious  to  be  wasted  in  excesses,  whether  religious  or  other- 
wise, and  there  is,  moreover,  the  danger  of  a  reaction  which  may  leave 

50 


THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  (UP  TO  SEVENTEEN  YEARS) 

the  individual  hardened  against  the  religious  appeal.  The  sincerity 
and  the  fervency  which  the  situation  demands  from  the  teacher  and 
religious  worker  are  as  far  removed  from  mere  emotionahsm,  on  the 
one  hand,  as  they  are  from  cold  formahsm,  on  the  other. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 

CoE.— "  The  Spiritual  Life."     Chs.  I,  II. 

CoE. — "Education  in  Rehgion  and  Morals."     Part  II 

Hall.— "Youth."     Ch.  XII. 

Steven.— "The  Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul."     Ch.  V. 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  interest  of  a  child  in  religious 
and  theological  questions  and  the  interest  of  an  adult? 

2.  Consider  the  extent  to  which  it  is  allowable  or  desirable  to  point 
the  moral  of  a  Bible  story. 

3.  What  topics  besides  those  suggested  in  the  text  might  be  used  in 
impressing  young  children  in  our  Sunday  schools  with  the  fact  and 
the  character  of  divine  Providence? 

4.  Give  illustrations  of  the  influence  of  surroundings  upon  the  con- 
duct and  the  ideas  of  children.  Show  the  bearing  of  this  fact  (/.  e., 
the  influence  of  surroundings)  upon  such  questions  as  Sunday-school 
architecture,  classroom  equipment,  and  so  forth. 

5.  Is  it  possible  to  make  too  much  of  the  peculiar  features  of  the 
adolescent  period  and  thus  to  increase  rather  than  diminish  its 
dangers?     How  may  this  possibiHty  be  avoided? 

6.  What  is  the  function  of  the  emotions  in  connection  with  the 
practical  life  of  man?  In  connection  with  the  religious  life?  Why 
is  mere  "emotionalism"  always  dangerous? 

7.  Make  a  summary  of  the  reasons  for  the  strong  appeal  which  re- 
ligion makes  during  the  adolescent  period. 


51 


STUDY  IX 
SOME  LIFE  ISSUES  OF  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

During  the  period  of  adolescence,  as  we  have  seen,  the  individual 
becomes  definitely  conscious  of  his  relationships  to  his  fellows  and 
begins  to  make  the  adjustments  which,  in  his  judgment,  will  bring 
to  him  the  maximum  of  satisfaction  from  those  relationships.  The 
personal  Hfe  of  thought  and  feeHng  grows  and  develops  alongside  of 
the  social  Hfe  of  cooperation  in  work  and  play  with  others  Hke  himself. 
Consequently  religion  makes  a  double  appeal  to  him.  It  presents 
God  as  revealed  in  Christ  as  the  answer  to  his  intellectual  questionings 
and  as  the  satisfaction  of  his  emotional  cravings.  It  also  presents 
God  as  the  great  Companion,  and  as  the  One  who  has  shown  in  the 
Gospels  for  all  time  and  to  all  men  the  law  of  social  life  and  service. 

The  religious  issue  is  the  paramount  issue.  In  a  sense  it  includes 
all  other  issues,  and  gives  to  them  their  place  and  their  meaning.  But 
it  in  turn  cannot  be  understood  without  reference  to  these  minor  and 
practical  issues,  since  there  is,  after  all,  no  other  form  of  Christianity 
than  applied  Christianity,  Religious  education  must  recognize  these 
subordinate  issues  and  must  seek  to  help  the  individual  to  deal  with 
them.     Among  the  more  important  of  these  issues  are  the  following: 

1.  The  question  of  vocation. — Every  man,  whether  faced  with  the 
problem  of  earning  his  bread  or  not,  must  deal  with  the  question  of  the 
choice  of  a  calling.  This,  of  course,  is  true  also  of  every  woman, 
since  Western  society  has  long  passed  the  stage  of  human  develop- 
ment where  woman  is  regarded  as  a  creature  without  mind  and  will  of 
her  own  and  without  the  right  to  the  choice  of  a  career  for  herself. 

While  under  ordinary  circumstances  the  Church  and  the  Sunday 
school  cannot  deal  directly  with  the  question  of  vocational  guidance, 
they  are  in  duty  bound  to  emphasize  as  effectively  and  concretely  as 
possible  the  fundamental  principle  which  should  guide  all  in  the  choice 
of  a  vocation.  They  should  set  themselves  against  the  hideously 
unchristian  standards  which  so  often  obtain  at  the  present  day,  the 
standard  of  financial  return,  and  the  standard  of  social  prestige,  or 

52 


SOME  LIFE  ISSUES  OF  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

of  respectabiKty  falsely  so  called.  The  one  true  standard,  that  of 
finding  and  doing  God's  will  in  one's  daily  life,  should  be  held  up  clearly 
and  resolutely  at  all  times.  Again,  due  recognition  should  be  given 
both  in  the  teaching  and  in  the  social  Hfe  of  the  Sunday  school  to 
the  invaluable  social  service  performed  by  members  of  the  common- 
place callings.  Above  all  other  institutions  the  Sunday  school  should 
discourage  in  every  way  possible  the  spirit  which  sometimes  leads 
shopgirls  to  treat  with  aloofness  classmates  who  happen  to  be  in 
domestic  service,  or  young  men  employed  in  offices  to  regard  as  their 
social  inferiors  young  men  who  are  employed  in  trades. 

Moreover,  in  the  interests  of  their  own  survival  the  Church  and  the 
Sunday  school  must  magnify  the  call  to  some  form  of  religious  ac- 
tivity for  all  who  accept  the  message  of  the  Gospels.  The  importance 
and  dignity  of  the  office  of  the  minister,  the  need  of  trained  service 
in  various  forms  of  effort  for  social  betterment,  and  the  present  in- 
sistent call  of  the  missionary  field,  should  also  be  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  young  people  of  the  Sunday  school. 

2.  The  question  of  citizenship.— Life  under  democratic  forms  of 
government  is  unique  in  the  demand  which  it  makes  upon  the  in- 
telligence and  the  conscience  of  the  ordinary  citizen.  If  democracy 
is  to  be  more  than  an  experiment,  and  a  costly  experiment  at  that, 
there  must  not  only  be  trained  leaders  in  the  various  forms  of  civic 
endeavor,  but  there  must  be  a  body  of  citizens  able  to  pronounce  in- 
telh'gent  judgment  upon  civic  issues.  Every  citizen  has  at  one  time 
or  other  the  opportunity  to  display  the  qualities  of  leadership,  and  no 
boy  or  girl  is  properly  equipped  for  life  who  does  not  appreciate  the 
great  moral  issues  which  are  involved  in  the  difference  between  good 
and  bad  government.  It  has  been  questioned  whether  any  program 
of  religious  education  can  properly  concern  itself  with  civic  problems. 
If  this  means  the  discussion  with  our  classes  of  secular  topics,  such 
as  those  which  ordinarily  divide  political  parties,  the  answer  would 
certainly  be  a  negative  one.  But  involved  in  all  civic  and  political 
issues  are  moral  issues,  and  one  of  the  abiding  values  of  the  Scriptures 
is  the  light  which  they  throw  upon  questions  of  permanent  interest  to 
man  as  a  member  of  an  organized  society.  The  present  tendency  to 
study  the  great  prophetic  writings  in  the  light  which  they  throw  upon 
the  moral  issues  involved  in  government,  in  business,  in  social  or- 

53 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

ganization,  and  in  international  relationships,  is  an  illustration  of 
what  is  meant  in  this  connection. 

3.  The  question  of  the  family  and  the  marriage  relation. — Every 
youth  in  our  Sunday  schools  is  a  member  of  a  family  and  all  or  nearly 
all,  may  be  regarded  as  potential  parents  and  heads  of  households. 
The  instinctive  appeals  of  sex  influence  their  behavior  in  a  hundred 
subtle  ways.  By  conversation,  by  reading,  by  myriad  other  stimuli 
of  eye  and  ear,  they  are  being  prepared,  whether  well  or  poorly,  for 
what  nature  regards  as  the  normal  life  of  an  adult  member  of  the 
species.  It  would  seem  that  religious  education  must  concern  itself 
in  a  matter  of  such  great  importance  and  of  such  universal  interest. 
Its  first  duty  in  this  connection  is  to  hold  up  high  ideals  of  the  rela- 
tionships between  the  sexes  and  to  discourage  the  unworthy  notions 
which  minister  to  the  baser  elements  in  human  nature  and  which 
thrive  in  an  atmosphere  of  luxury  and  indifference  to  high  moral 
standards.  It  can  also  provide  means  of  bringing  youth  of  both 
sexes  into  wholesome  relationship  with  each  other  and  thus  help  to 
deliver  them  from  morbid  thoughts  and  unworthy  desires;  and  it  can 
show  how  the  safeguards  of  family  Hfe,  provided  both  by  law  and  cus- 
tom, are  not  arbitrary  restrictions  but  rather  the  chief  protection  of 
human  society  against  a  relapse  into  the  brutaHty,  the  filth,  and  the 
degradation  of  barbarism. 

4.  The  question  of  leisure  and  self-culture.— At  the  present  day  so 
much  is  provided  for  our  young  people  that  they  are  often  at  a  loss 
when  they  are  thrown  upon  their  own  resources.  Even  with  the 
ordinary  adult  the  bewilderment  with  which  he  faces  an  hour  of  en- 
forced leisure  or  an  unexpected  half  hohday  is  to  thoughtful  observers 
an  occasion  for  sorrowful  comment.  ^  A  great  deal  would  be  accom- 
plished if  our  schemes  of  education  could  provide  for  all  to  whom  they 
are  appHed  a  sure  resource  against  the  tedium  of  idleness,  but  this 
negative  aim  is  surely  not  sufificient  as  the  final  goal  of  our  endeavor. 
In  deahng  with  this  problem  we  must  appeal  not  only  to  the  sanctions 
of  religion,  but  to  the  experience  of  the  race.  What  are  the  resources 
which  the  best  and  the  wisest  of  our  kind  have  employed?  What  are 
the  leisure  employments  which  minister  to  our  instinctive  human 
needs?  There  are  four  of  these,  which  even  so  summary  a  treatment 
of  the  subject  as  the  present  discussion  cannot  omit.    The  first  is 

54 


SOME  LIFE  ISSUES  OF  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

physical  exercise  in  the  form  of  sports  and  games.  The  whole  prob- 
lem of  athletics  falls  under  this  head.  The  second  is  study  used  as  a 
means  of  self -improvement.  The  third  is  amusement,  and  in  this 
connection  there  arises  the  whole  question  of  the  forbidden  and  the 
permissible,  the  injurious  and  the  wholesome,  among  current  forms  of 
physical  and  mental  relaxation  of  the  less  active  sort.  The  fourth 
is  social  intercourse. 

While  there  is  not  space  to  consider  the  various  forms  of  athletics 
which  appeal  directly  to  the  average  American  youth,  we  can  at  least 
mention  two  attitudes  which,  in  this  connection,  religious  education 
should  foster.  The  first  is  that  athletic  exercise  is  for  everyone  except 
that  small  group  which  is  prevented  by  physical  defect.  In  the  in- 
terests both  of  our  health  and  our  morals  we  should  decline  to  take 
our  exercise  by  proxy  and  thus  relinquish  to  the  expert  those  benefits 
which  all  have  a  right  to  enjoy.  In  the  second  place,  the  winning  of 
the  game  is  not  the  chief  consideration.  There  is  hardly  anything 
more  demoralizing  than  the  worship  of  "success"  which  condones 
questionable  practices  when  they  make  for  the  victory  of  *'our  side." 
In  athletics,  as  in  life  as  a  whole,  the  Christian  youth  should  reahze 
that  the  only  sportsmanship  which  will  stand  the  test  is  that  which  is 
based  on  the  Golden  Rule. 

Since  the  study  of  books  is  becoming  more  and  more  the  chief 
agency  of  self -improvement,  it  is  especially  desirable  that  all  young 
people  should  be  impressed  with  the  really  wonderful  opportunities 
in  this  connection  which  are  now  offered  to  all.  Not  every-  young 
person  can  find  the  time  or  the  means  for  a  college  course,  but  every 
young  person  can  be  made  to  realize  that,  through  various  series  of 
Hterary  and  scientific  works  (of  a  popular  sort)  recently  pubHshed  in 
America  and  in  England,  there  are  available  to  everyone,  at  a  ridicu- 
lously small  price,  or  at  no  price  at  all  if  one  uses  a  public  library, 
opportunities  for  culture  which  a  few  years  ago  scarcely  any  college  in 
the  land  could  offer. 

In  connection  with  the  two  remaining  leisure  employments,  viz., 
amusement  and  social  intercourse,  a  higher  standard  should  always 
be  set  than  that  of  mere  harmlessness.  While  there  should  be  about 
our  participation  in  these  activities  a  certain  spontaneity — that  man 
would  be  a  prig,  for  example,  who  ordered  his  hours  of  relaxation  as 

55 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

methodically  as  he  did  his  hours  of  work — one  should  not  let  things 
go  at  haphazard.  One  can  at  least  apply  the  test  of  the  after  effects. 
The  morning  headache  after  a  night  of  so-called  amusement,  the  feel- 
ing of  moral  lassitude  which  follows  the  reading  of  certain  works  of 
fiction,  and  the  lowering  of  our  faith  in  our  fellow  men  and  women 
which  results  from  certain  forms  of  conversation,  are  danger  signals 
which  no  one  can  safely  disregard. 

5.  The  question  of  friendship. — "And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had 
made  an  end  of  speaking  unto  Saul,  that  the  soul  of  Jonathan  was  knit 
with  the  soul  of  David,  and  Jonathan  loved  him  as  his  own  soul." 
This  is  the  Old  Testament  story  of  the  beginning  of  one  of  the  most 
famous  friendships  of  history.  Such  friendships  are  especially  char- 
acteristic of  the  period  of  youth;  in  fact,  they  rarely  develop  at  any 
other  period.  Age  is  apt  to  be  cautious  and  restrained  in  such  mat- 
ters, while  youth  is  beyond  all  things  else  frank  and  impulsive. 

And  yet  the  suddenness  and  the  intensity  of  Jonathan's  friendship 
for  David  form  no  argument  for  carelessness  on  the  part  of  any  youth 
in  the  choice  of  his  friends.  Jonathan's  soul  went  out  to  that  of  David 
not  because  of  a  passing  fancy  but  because  of  an  intense  conviction 
of  David's  worthiness  and  because  it  is  characteristic  of  noble  souls 
that  when  they  give  themselves  at  all  they  give  themselves  unre- 
servedly. 

One  of  the  great  concerns  of  the  youth  of  both  sexes  should  be  that 
of  a  wise  choice  of  friends.  Religious  education  should,  therefore, 
furnish  the  boy  and  the  girl  \Adth  standards  by  means  of  which  candi- 
dates for  one's  friendship  may  be  judged.  It  should  also  include  in 
the  circle  of  its  endeavor  an  unobtrusive  supervision  of  those  com- 
panionships from  which  friendships  are  apt  to  spring.  But  it  should 
also  impress  upon  the  mind  of  youth  the  fact  that  the  spiritual  values 
inherent  in  true  friendship  can  never  be  realized  without  mutual 
forbearance,  unselfish  service,  and  unswerving  loyalty. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 

James. — "Talks  to  Teachers,"  final  article  on  "What  Makes  a 
Life  Significant." 

MacCunn.— "The  Making  of  Character."    Part  II,  Chs.  V-IX. 


56 


SOME  LIFE  ISSUES  OF  YOUNG  PEOPLE 
SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

a  vocS?' ''  '^''"''^^  """  '""■^  "°™'''  ''""'^"  "^^'"8  ^''°"ld  foUow 

2  Under  what  circumstances  may  the  Church  concern  itself  with 
t'^X^XJ:''"'"'"  *^""™'^^  '''''  °'  '''  participatior'o'? 

3  What  are  some  of  the  practical  means  through  which  the  claims 
SuX"X7pipi°/  '''  '"'^^'"""^  ^^"^^  -^  ^^  impressed^™: 

Sut.f;4t:i  ltra'u\l°d^hSUira^es.°^  ^"^^  '-'''"''-  - 
5.  How  might  It  be  shown  to  a  class  of  young  people  that  "the  safe- 
guards of  family  hfe  provided  by  both  law  and  custom  are  not  ar- 
bitrary restrictions"? 

eo'  i^"""'''^"^'  ^^^  "^^^^^  ^"^  the  dangers  of  novel-reading  by  young 
7    Consider  the  value  of  a  fixed  program  for  those  daily  activities 

twlir'  "^^"^^  "  TT''  "^  ^,^^^^^^^  ^y  ^"^'^  ^^g^l-^  occupation 
8.  What  are  some  of  the  moral  and  religious  values  which  a  youth 


57 


STUDY  X 
ADULT  LIFE 

The  differences  between  the  adult  mind  and  the  child  mind  are 
partly  of  degree  and  partly  of  kind.  The  notion  held  at  one  time 
that  the  child  mind  is  the  adult  mind  on  a  small  scale  was  a  mistaken 
one,  but  so  also  was  the  notion  that  some  capacities,  the  capacity  for 
reasoning,  for  example,  are  absent  in  children,  though  present  in  all 
normal  adults. 

Adults  do,  however,  differ  from  children  in  the  fact  that  with  them 
the  play  motive  is  largely  absent.  They  have  left  behind  the  world 
of  make-beUeve.  Instead,  their  world  is  a  real  one  of  economic  in- 
terests and  of  family  and  social  responsibilities.  They  differ  from 
children  also  in  their  attitude  toward  authority.  They  recognize 
their  fundamental  equality  with  the  other  members  of  society,  and  so 
cannot  be  made  amenable  to  the  forms  of  discipHne  which  are  ap- 
propriate and  even  necessary  with  children.  The  teacher  of  the  adult 
class  is  only  the  chief  among  his  equals,  and  must  not,  if  he  is  to  suc- 
ceed, make  too  much  of  the  mere  fact  of  office.  These  and  other 
psychological  differences  between  the  child  and  the  adult  will  appear 
in  the  consideration  of  the  following  topics : 

1.  The  concept. — The  concept  is  the  result  of  the  mind's  effort  to 
simplify  and  classify,  and  thus  understand,  the  world  about  it.  Chil- 
dren learn  the  names  of  objects,  but  these  names  are  of  no  value  unless 
they  represent  what  one  writer  has  called  the  "condensation  of  ex- 
periences." The  concepts,  dog,  house,  and  man,  result  from  the 
mind's  deahng  with  a  great  number  of  separate  objects,  and  both 
differ  from  and  resemble  the  objects  for  which  they  stand.  The  con- 
cepts, kindness,  duty,  and  patriotism,  are  derived  from  a  great  number 
of  separate  experiences,  some  of  which  are  pecuHar  to  the  particular 
person  concerned,  but  many  of  which  come  from  the  experience  of 
his  fellows  as  revealed  in  the  history  of  the  race.     The  latter  three  con- 

-:8 


ADULT  LIFE 

cepts  represent  a  greater  amount  of  abstraction  than  do  the  first 
three,  and  it  is  because  of  this  fact  that  we  can  profitably  treat  of 
them  with  young  children  only  througn  concrete  instances — a  par- 
ticular deed  of  kindness,  or  a  bit  of  dutitul  behavior,  or  an  example  of 
patriotic  conduct.  With  the  ordinary  adult,  however,  this  concrete 
reference  is  not  so  constantly  required,  and  so  in  adult  classes  we  move 
freely  among  abstractions  with  the  assurance  that  those  whom  we 
teach  have  in  the  backgrounds  of  their  minds  an  abundance  of  con- 
crete instances  upon  which  to  draw  when  occasion  demands. 

This  difference  between  the  child  and  the  adult  makes  it  desirable 
for  us  to  use  a  different  type  of  lesson  with  the  one  from  that  which 
we  use  with  the  other,  or,  if  the  same  lesson  is  used,  to  treat  it  in  a 
radically  different  way. 

2.  Logical  memory.— As  a  rule,  adults  are  extremely  averse  to  the 
tedium  of  rote  memorizing.  If  they  learn  by  heart,  it  is  only  because 
of  the  constant  recurrence  of  certain  facts  with  certain  practical  situa- 
tions, as  is  the  case,  for  example,  with  telephone  numbers  and  the 
names  and  numbers  of  streets.  They  think  they  have  dealt  suffi- 
ciently with  a  passage  of  Scripture  when  they  have  grasped  its  mean- 
ing, and  the  ability  to  recall  the  exact  words  of  the  passage  comes  as 
a  by-product,  if  it  comes  at  all.  One  can  see,  then,  the  necessity 
of  clear  exposition  in  the  teaching  of  adult  classes.  If  they  do  not 
carry  away  the  meaning  of  the  lesson,  they  carry  away  Httle  or  nothing. 

3.  Independence  of  judgment. — The  child  and  the  youth,  through 
their  consciousness  of  their  immaturity,  are  inclined  to  defer  to  the 
teacher  simply  because  of  his  greater  age  and  experience.  But  the 
adult  is  often  the  equal  of  the  teacher  in  age,  and  sometimes  his  su- 
perior as  far  as  the  practical  mastery  of  Hfe's  problems  is  concerned. 
This  fact  leads  occasionally  to  a  great  deal  of  argument  in  adult 
classes,  of  argument  that  results  at  times  in  a  controversy  which 
leaves  both  parties  farther  apart  in  their  views  at  the  close  than  they 
were  at  the  beginning.  It  is  ordinarily  wise  for  the  teacher  of  adult 
pupils  to  avoid  the  beginnings  of  controversy.  Instead,  he  should 
recognize  frankly  the  right  to  hold  and  express  the  view  which  is 
contrary  to  his,  while  insisting  in  a  tactful  way  upon  the  grounds 
which  support  his  own  position.  The  matter  can  then  be  left,  with 
the  confident  hope  that  the  new  and  the  better  point  of  view  will, 

59 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

because  of  its  inherent  reasonableness,  gradually  win  its  way  with 
the  pupil.  The  attempt  to  take  a  man's  judgment  by  storm,  however, 
almost  invariably  leaves  him  more  firmly  fixed  than  ever  in  his  own 
views,  and,  what  is  worse,  it  creates  in  him  an  attitude  of  suspicious- 
ness toward  any  further  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  to  in- 
fluence his  thinking. 

4.  The  presence  of  practical  interests. — There  is  one  type  of  mind 
sometimes  found  in  our  adult  classes  whose  interest  is  almost  wholly 
speculative.  It  delights  in  argument  and  appreciates  a  clear  and 
orderly  exposition  of  the  lesson,  but  goes  no  farther.  There  is  another 
type,  and  that,  let  us  hope,  far  the  more  prevalent,  which  honestly 
desires  guidance  in  the  practical  affairs  of  life.  In  dealing  with  this 
type,  intellectual  depth  and  clearness  is  not  sufficient ;  there  must  alsa 
be  tact  and  sympathy.  There  must  be,  in  addition,  the  ability  to  put 
the  teaching  of  Scripture  into  the  language  of  the  street  and  the  mar- 
ket place,  the  home  and  the  workshop,  and  to  parallel  Bible  instances 
with  instances  drawn  from  modern  life.  So  immersed  are  most  of 
us  in  modern  conditions,  and  so  enamored  of  present-day  achieve- 
ments, that  we  fail  to  see  how  essentially  modern  the  Bible  is,  even 
when  we  consider  Bible  characters  and  incidents  as  distinguished  from 
Bible  truths.  The  business  of  the  adult  class  teacher  is,  perhaps 
above  all,  to  modernize  the  Bible,  not  in  any  cheap  and  irreverent 
sense,  but  in  the  worthy  sense  of  making  Bible  life  and  teaching  come 
actually  near  to  the  life  and  the  problems  of  our  own  day.  The  poet 
Lowell  uttered  a  profound  truth  when  he  wrote : 

"Old  events  have  modern  meanings,  only  that  survives 
Of  past  history  which  finds  kindred  in  all  hearts  and  lives." 

5.  The  fundamental  social  need. — The  members  of  the  adult  class 
are  often  men  or  women  who,  throughout  the  week,  are  immersed 
.in  activities  in  which  the  spirit  of  struggle  and  competition  is  pain- 
fully manifest.  They  welcome  the  opportunity  to  cooperate  in  social 
and  other  activities  in  which  the  only  possible  motives  can  be  friend- 
ship and  good  will.  So  much  of  the  labor  of  the  present  day,  whatever 
its  material  return,  brings  no  real  satisfaction  to  the  soul  of  the 
laborer.  While  the  teacher  of  the  adult  class  should  seek  by  his 
teaching  and  his  influence  to  spiritualize  the  week-day  activities  of 

60 


ADULT  LIFE 

his  pupils  by  showing  the  possibility  of  doing  everything  "as  unto 
the  Lord,"  he  should  also  encourage  those  forms  of  class  cooperation 
and  class  enterprise  which  will  give  to  the  starved  human  soul  friend- 
ship and  cheerfulness  and  wholesome  diversion,  as  well  as  the  oppor- 
tunity for  fruitful  and  congenial  labor  on  behalf  of  the  young,  the 
ignorant,  the  destitute,  and  the  unfortunate.  Even  in  these  so-called^ 
highly  civilized  times  man  retains  his  essential  humanity  and  lives' 
more  through  his  instincts  and  his  emotions  than  through  his  intellect. 

6.  The  adult  character  in  the  light  of  the  Christian  religion. — When 
we  consider  the  motives  which  inspire  and  control  human  behavior 
we  note  various  stages,  or  "levels,"  as  they  have  been  called,  which 
moral  development,  in  certain  persons,  at  least,  successively  attains. 
Each  earlier  level  may  be  regarded  as  a  sort  of  foundation  upon  which 
the  later  levels  rest. 

First,  there  is  the  level  of  instinct.  Here  the  only  means  of  con- 
trol is  the  pleasure  or  pain  which  follows  the  particular  instinctive 
act,  as  in  the  familiar  case  where  the  child,  though  instinctively 
attracted  by  the  brightness  of  a  flame,  is  deterred  from  touching  it 
by  the  remembrance  of  a  former  burn.  Second,  there  is  the  some- 
what higher  stage,  where  the  rewards  and  punishments  of  material 
nature  are  reenforced  by  those  administered  by  parent  or  guardian, 
as  when  the  child  refrains  from  playing  with  fire  because  his  mother 
has  punished  him  for  an  earlier  offense.  The  mother  stands  here 
as  the  representative  of  the  human  society  as  a  whole.  Third,  there 
is  the  stage  where  the  behavior  is  regulated  by  an  anticipation  of 
the  praise  or  blame  of  one's  fellow  men.  Fourth  and  last  is  the  stage 
where  conduct  is  consciously  shaped  by  an  ideal  which  leads  the 
individual  to  disregard,  for  the  time  being  at  least,  the  pleasure 
or  pain,  praise  or  blame,  which  may  ensue  from  his  act. 

This  final  stage  is  the  stage  of  adult  morality,  not  in  the  sense  that 
every  adult  attains  to  it,  for  many,  as  we  know,  do  not,  but  in  the 
sense  that  it  is  possible  to  every  normal  adult  and  that  to  have 
reached  it  is  to  have  attained  maturity  in  the  realm  of  conduct. 

Religious  education  is  at  one  with  moral  education  in  its  attempt 
to  assist  the  development  of  the  pupil  through  the  various  preliminary 
stages.  It  is  at  one  with  moral  education  also  in  the  emphasis  which 
it  places  upon  ideals  as  factors  in  the  Hves  of  men  and  of  societies. 

61 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

But  it  transcends  moral  education  in  the  character  and  in  the  appeal 
of  the  ideals  which  it  presents.  The  ideal  of  duty,  the  ideal  of 
loyalty,  the  ideal  of  purity,  come  within  the  scope  of  morality,  and 
have  been  found,  and  are  found  to-day,  among  peoples  who  know 
nothing  of  Christianity.  They  have  helped  many  men  and  women 
who  were  not  Christians,  in  name  at  least,  to  lead  truly  noble  lives. 
But  when  they  are  taken  up  into  the  sphere  of  Christian  living,  they 
reveal  a  meaning  and  glow  with  a  Hfe  which  they  could  never  other- 
wise possess.  Christian  duty  binds  us  not  only  to  the  particular 
task  which  lies  before  us,  but  to  all  worthy  work,  no  matter  where  or 
when  or  by  whom  it  may  be  done.  It  provides  a  bond  of  personal 
sympathy  and  affection  not  only  with  this  or  that  particular  fellow 
worker,  but  also  with  Him  who  said,  ''My  Father  worketh  even  until 
now,  and  I  work,"  and  who  in  the  last  analysis  is  the  source  of  all  the 
significance  which  human  effort  may  possess  and  all  the  satisfaction 
which  human  effort  may  confer.  Christian  loyalty  is  the  largest  of 
all  possible  loyalties,  and  Christian  purity  is  a  purity  of  thought  and 
feeling  and  intention  as  well  as  of  outward  act. 

In  classes  of  adults  there  will  be  many  who  live  almost  whoUy  at 
the  third  of  the  four  levels  of  morality  mentioned,  i.  e.,  theirconduct 
from  day  to  day  will  be  shaped  by  custom  and  pubHc  opinion  rather 
than  by  ideals  which  are  intelligently  understood  and  consciously 
applied.  The  teacher  will  not  wholly  neglect  as  moral  agencies  praise 
and  blame  and  the  desire  of  every  normal  human  being  for  the  good 
will  of  his  fellows,  but  he  will  think  of  these  only  as  stepping-stones 
to  that  higher  level  where  the  life  is  controlled  by  those  principles  of 
conduct  which  are  formulated  in  the  Gospels  and  exemplified  by  Him 
who  became  flesh. 

ReHgious  education  is  not  completed  when  this  level  has  been  reached. 
It  is  never  really  completed  in  this  hfe,  since  the  ideals  which  it  in- 
culcates are  capable  of  infinite  appHcation  and  infinite  development. 
The  hfe  of  the  soul  and  the  growth  of  the  soul  are  one  and  the  same  thing. 

FOR  FURTHER  READING 
Bagley. — "The  Educative  Process."     Ch.  X. 
James.— "Talks  to  Teachers."     Ch.  XV. 
McDouGALL.— "Social  Psychology."     Chs.  VII,  VIII. 
Steven.— "The  Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul."     Chs.  II,  XI. 

62 


ADULT  LIFE 

SUGGESTIVE  QUESTIONS 

1.  Trace  the  "condensation"  of  experience  involved  in  the  forma- 
tion of  such  concepts  as  those  of  man  and  tree.  Do  the  child's  con- 
cepts of  God  and  of  religion  undergo  similar  changes? 

2.  Make  a  list  of  the  arguments  for  and  against  the  use  of  graded 
lessons  in  the  Sunday  school  and  decide  as  to  their  merits. 

3.  Why  is  it  desirable  to  be  able  to  recall  the  exact  wording  of  a 
passage  of  Scripture  as  well  as  its  meaning? 

4.  Why  is  controversy  as  a  rule  such  a  poor  means  of  spreading  re- 
ligious truth?     Under  what  conditions  may  it  be  necessary? 

5.  What  are  some  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  finding  modern 
illustrations  of  Bible  truth? 

6.  What  do  we  mean  when  we  speak  of  "  spirituahzing "  week-day 
activities?  Is  this  always  possible  under  a  competitive  system  of  in- 
dustry? 

7.  Find  instances  of  the  four  "levels"  of  conduct  in  the  behavior 
of  persons  (children  and  others)  of  your  acquaintance. 

8.  What  is  the  difference  between  religious  and  moral  education? 
Are  the  two  mutually  exclusive? 

HINTS  FOR  EXAMINATION 

Believing  that  an  examination  should  be  a  clear  statement  of  the 
subjects  and  principles  discussed  in  the  classroom  rather  than  a  hur- 
ried writing  of  imperfectly  understood  facts,  the  Department  of  Re- 
ligious Education  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  and  Sab- 
bath School  Work  will  make  up  the  examination  from  the  questions  and 
suggestions  at  the  close  of  each  lesson  and  from  the  following  addi- 
tional list.  Teachers  should  take  great  pains  to  see  that  the  pupils 
thoroughly  understand  the  facts  and  principles  involved  in  all  ques- 
tions and  suggestions  at  the  time  when  each  lesson  is  studied  and  again 
by  way  of  review. 
Study  I. 

What  was  the  Hebrew  conception  of  a  child? 

What  was  the  Hebrew  conception  of  corporal  punishment? 

In  what  way,  if  at  all,  should  we  make  use  of  it  to-day? 

In  what  way  is  the  community  responsible  for  the  moral  welfare  of 
the  child? 
Study  II. 

Illustrate  how  the  faculties  of  the  mind  act. 

What  is  meant  by  the  "continuity  of  the  mental  life"? 

63 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Study  III. 

What  is  the  relation  of  the  physical  care  of  little  children  to  char- 
acter-building? 

Describe  the  beginning  of  habits  in  little  folks. 
Study  IV. 

Describe  fully  the  relation  of  play  to  education  in  middle  childhood. 

What  is  meant  by  passive  attention  in  middle  childhood? 
Study  V. 

Describe  memory  and  its  place  in  education. 

What  is  the  place  of  imagination  in  religious  education? 
Study  VI. 

Give  some  physical  and  mental  characteristics  of  early  adolescence. 

How  can  the  tendency  to  hero  worship  be  utilized  in  building  Chris- 
tian character? 
Study  VII. 

What  is  meant  by  the  "storm  and  stress"  period? 

What  is  the  chief  value  of  the  period  of  youth? 
Study  VIII. 

How  is  the  experience  of  the  child  a  key  to  religious  truth? 
Study  IX. 

Describe  concisely  four  life  issues  of  young  people,  and  how  the 
teacher  can  help  meet  them. 
Study  X. 

Outline  briefly  the  difference  between  the  adult  mind  and  the  child 
mind. 

What  are  the  social  and  reHgious  needs  of  the  average  adult?    How 
can  these  needs  be  met? 


64 


THE   NEW  WESTMINSTER    STANDARD   COURSE 
FOR  TEACHER  TRAINING 

That  the  man  of  God  may  he  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  worlds 

II  Timothy  J:  17 


FIRST  YEAR,  PART  II 

THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  TEACHING 


BY  ROBERT  WELLS  VEACH,  D.D. 


The  books  of  this  course  are  based  on  the  standard 

adopted    by   the    Sunday   School    Council    of 

Evangelical  Denominations  and  approved 

by  the  International  Sunday  School 

Association 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

THE    WESTMINSTER    PRESS 

iQig 


Study  to  shew  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workmam 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the 
word  of  truth. 

All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profit- 
able for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness: 

That  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works. 

II  Timothy  2:  15;  3:16,  17. 


Copyright,  1917 
By  F.  M.  Braselman 


FOREWORD 

The  outlines  of  the  Standard  Teacher  Training  Course  as  approved 
by  the  Sunday  School  Council  of  Evangelical  Denominations  and  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association  provide  for  three  years  of 
forty  lessons  each. 

The  outHne  of  the  first  year's  work,  including  the  subjects  deemed 
most  vital  in  the  workers'  training,  is  as  follows: 

Part  I.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Pupil. 

Part  II.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Principles  of  Teaching,  with  emphasis 
on  general  psychology. 

Part  III.  Ten  Lessons  on  How  to  Teach  the  Life  of  Christ  in  the 
different  grades. 

Part  IV.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Sunday  School,  being  an  outHne  of 
the  aim,  curriculum,  and  organization  of  the  modern  Sunday  school. 

When  the  new  course  for  the  first  year  is  compared  with  the  previous 
First  Standard  Course,  it  will  be  noted  that  an  increased  amount  of 
BibHcal  knowledge  is  necessary  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  Those 
who  prepared  the  outline,  as  well  as  the  writers  of  the  lessons,  assume 
that  a  fairly  good  knowledge  of  the  Bible  has  been  gained  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  class  during  the  Intermediate  and  Senior  years  of  the  Sun- 
day school. 

The  arrangement  of  these  lessons  calls  for  much  classroom  discus- 
sion and  outside  observation.  This  is  a  most  valuable  method.  The 
careful  assignment  of  each  lesson  will  prove  helpful. 


STUDY  I 

THE  SPIRITUAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

The  teacher  who  tells  little  children  about  God  is  often  thrilled  by 
a  question  which  reveals  a  perception  unpossessed  by  many  adults  in 
whose  Hves  the  spiritual  faculties  are  deadened  by  sin,  or  atrophied 
through  lack  of  use,  or  warped  by  the  vanity  of  worldly  wisdom.  In 
the  simple  faith  of  the  child,  in  his  humble,  teachable  spirit,  in  his  deep 
sense  of  wonder  at  the  mysteries  of  Ufe,  Jesus  saw  the  one  supreme 
opportunity  to  build  for  eternity.  This  is  why  he  put  so  much  em- 
phasis upon  the  place  of  the  child  in  the  Kingdom  of  heaven  and  upon 
the  importance  of  proper  teaching.    Matt.  18  : 1-6;   19  :  13-15. 

So  precious  a  work  as  the  education  of  an  immortal  soul  must  rest 
upon  unchanging  reaUties.  We  cannot  afford  to  build  character 
upon  shifting  sand.  The  Bible  does  not  leave  us  in  doubt  as  to  what 
these  great  realities  are.  Let  each  student  read  rapidly  the  following 
passages  of  Scripture:  Gen.,  chs.  1-4;  John,  chs.  1,  16;  Gen.,  ch. 
15;  Isa.,  chs.  53-55;  Heb.,  chs.  11,  12;  Rev.,  ch.  21;  and  note  these 
eight  facts. 

EIGHT  FUNDAMENTAL  FACTS 

1.  The  fact  of  God.— "In  the  beginning  God."  God  is.  He  is  the 
Creator  of  all  things,  the  Searcher  of  all  hearts,  a  personal  Presence 
to  be  recognized  and  loved  and  obeyed  by  all  his  children. 

2.  The  fact  that  everything  God  made  was  good.— Everywhere  in 
nature  we  find  life  and  law  and  love  and  beauty  and  intelligent  pur- 
pose. It  is  a  world  making  toward  the  ideal,  not  because  of  the  neces- 
sary development  of  forces  inherent  in  matter  but  because  of  a  living, 
personal  will. 

3.  The  fact  of  the  human  soul. — Man  is  the  crown  and  reason  of  the 
creative  process,  capable  of  having  dominion  over  the  earth  and  of 
knowing  God,  to  whom  God  can  reveal  himself  directly  by  his  Holy 
Spirit.  The  greatness,  the  sacredness,  and  the  freedom  of  the  human 
soul  must  be  deeply  felt  by  every  teacher. 

5 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

4.  The  fact  that  man  was  made  in  the  image  of  God. — This  means 
that  man  is  capable  of  growing  into  the  Hkeness  of  God  through  faith 
in  the  hving  Christ.  This  is  the  purpose  of  all  creation,  the  ultimate 
ideal  toward  which  everything  moves.  "Ye  therefore  shall  be  perfect, 
as  your  heavenly  Father  is  perfect."  The  hunger  after  this  ideal  life 
in  God  and  the  struggle  of  the  soul  to  attain  it  underlie  the  imperish- 
able belief  in  immortahty.  This  is  the  deep,  ineradicable,  reUgious 
impulse  which  we  find  in  every  human  Hfe. 

5.  The  fact  of  sin  and  its  consequences. — Into  this  beautiful  world 
made  by  a  good  and  holy  God,  sin  came  to  stain  and  mar  and  frustrate, 
leaving  its  sHmy  trail  of  hatred  and  death  across  the  centuries.  **Sin 
is  any  want  of  conformity  unto,  or  transgression  of,  the  law  of  God." 
It  has  estranged  man  from  God  and  put  enmity  between  brother  and 
brother.  To  take  away  the  guilt  and  overcome  the  power  of  sin  and 
help  men  attain  unto  righteousness  God  provided  a  Saviour. 

6.  The  fact  of  Christ. — The  coming  of  Christ  into  the  world  was 
planned  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  Eph.  1 : 3-14,  and  is 
foreshadowed  throughout  the  whole  of  the  Old  Testament.  In  the 
prophetic  soul  of  Isaiah,  the  Messianic  ideal  began  to  take  definite 
form.  Finally  Christ  came,  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  the  Word  made 
flesh,  to  dwell  among  men.  In  Christ  men  found  God,  but  they  also 
found  themselves.  In  the  character  of  Jesus  they  beheld  the  moral 
ideal  for  their  lives ;  in  his  teachings  the  ideal  for  the  society  in  which 
they  were  to  five;  in  the  cross  and  the  resurrection  they  found  the 
forgiving  and  redeeming  love  of  a  heavenly  Father. 

7.  The  fact  of  the  Holy  Spirit. — But  it  was  necessary  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  should  come  and  that  men  should  know  him.  He  is  the  great 
Teacher.  It  is  he  that  searches  the  human  heart ;  it  is  he  that  forms 
the  Christ  life  within  our  human  lives  until  they  take  on  the  likeness 
of  God;  it  is  he  that  makes  possible  the  realization  of  the  Christian 
ideal,  both  in  the  Hfe  of  the  individual  and  in  society.  This  is  God's 
way  of  educating  the  individual  and  the  race.  It  must  be  our  way  also. 
The  teacher  is  a  coworker  with  God;  the  Holy  Spirit  is  our  great 
Helper.    John  16:7-16. 

8.  The  fact  of  God  in  history  establishing  his  Word  and  building 
his  Kingdom. — In  the  presence  of  so  much  sin  and  disease  and  war 
and  unbeKef,  teachers  of  religion  will  grow  sick  at  heart  and  dis- 

6 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

couraged  if  they  do  not  keep  clearly  before  them  the  fact  that  God  is 
at  work  in  his  world,  shaping  human  events  and  guiding  the  destinies 
of  men  and  nations  slowly  but  surely  toward  the  estabhshment  of  his 
Kingdom  upon  earth,  where  love  and  righteousness  and  justice  shall 
rule  the  hearts  of  all  men.  By  faith  we  endure  '*as  seeing  him  who 
is  invisible."  Not  only  must  teachers  be  conscious  of  the  guiding 
hand  of  God  in  human  events  but  they  should  also  impress  this  fact 
deeply  upon  the  minds  of  all  whom  they  teach,  keeping  ever  before 
them  the  vision  of  the  Holy  City  "coming  down  out  of  heaven." 

THE  EDUCATIVE  PROCESS 

If  all  children  were  mere  machines,  without  the  power  to'choose,  or 
think,  or  develop;  or  if  they  always  inherited  the  acquired  virtues 
and  characters  of  their  ancestors,  there  would  be  little  need  of  educa- 
tion. As  it  is,  they  must  choose  and  think  and  act  and  grow.  Every 
new  experience,  every  trying  and  difficult  situation,  enlarges  their 
idea  of  God  and  develops  strength  of  mind  and  character.  God  is 
always  willing  to  aid  and  guide,  but  he  will  never  do  anything  for  his 
children  that  he  can  get  them  to  do  for  themselves.  This  is  true 
teaching,  and  explains  much  of  the  struggle  and  pain  and  temptation 
in  every  life;  even  Jesus  was  tempted  and  learned  by  the  things  which 
he  suffered. 

The  central  thing  in  the  human  soul  is  the  capacity  to  know  God 
and  the  hunger  to  be  like  him.  The  growing  boy  and  girl  must  get  a 
clear  idea  of  God  and  a  deep  sense  of  his  personal  presence.  This  is 
absolutely  fundamental. 

What  happens  when  a  boy  or  a  girl  gets  this  idea  of  God  and  a 
sense  of  his  real  presence?  There  will  be  the  feehng  of  reverence, 
the  impulse  to  worship  and  pray.  After  this  will  come  obedience  to 
God's  laws,  then  faith,  love,  and  a  passionate  striving  after  the  ideal  in 
Christ.  This,  of  course,  does  not  happen  all  at  once:  it  is  a  process 
of  growth.  In  the  capacity  of  every  little  child  to  grow,  in  his  plastic- 
ity capable  of  being  molded  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  power  to 
grasp  the  great  truths  of  the  past  and  carry  them  on  to  higher  and 
richer  development,  lies  for  each  generation  the  hope  of  humanity,  the 
coming  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.    The  child  is  God's  challenge  to  the 

7 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Church.    It  is  the  glorious  task  of  the  teachers  of  to-day  to  meet  this 
great  challenge. 

THE  TEACHER'S  TASK  AND  QUALIFICATIONS 

1.  The  main  task  of  the  Sunday-school  teacher  is  to  interpret  God 
to  each  growing  life.  This  he  does  largely  through  his  own  char- 
acter and  the  materials  he  presents.  The  chief  qualifications  of  a 
teacher  are  character  and  knowledge. 

(a)  Character  or  personality  has  three  elements:  (1)  A  deep  con- 
viction regarding  God  and  an  experience  of  his  redeeming  love;  (2) 
faith  in  the  value  of  the  human  soul  and  in  the  power  of  God's  spirit 
to  reveal  Christ  to  each  life;  (3)  an  irresistible  enthusiasm  for  one's 
work.  The  humblest  teacher  can  possess  these  quaUties  by  keeping 
close  to  Christ. 

The  teacher  who  goes  into  the  classroom  doubting  the  reahty  of 
God  or  questioning  the  fact  of  the  saving  power  of  Jesus  Christ  will 
have  little  response  from  the  pupils.  What  would  you  think  of  a  phy- 
sician who  went  into  a  sick  room  and  said  to  the  patient,  "I  know  you 
are  a  very  sick  man,  but  the  greatest  scientists  doubt  if  Hfe  has  any 
real  recuperative  power  and  the  leading  doctors  differ  very  much 
regarding  the  heaUng  virtue  of  these  remedies  I  am  about  to  give  you; 
however,  you  had  better  take  them  and,  if  they  do  not  do  you  any 
good,  they  certainly  will  not  do  you  any  harm"?  Suppose  now,  that 
a  neighbor  comes  in  and  says:  "I  know  what  will  cure  you;  it  cured 
me  and  it  made  your  friend  well.  I  am  sure  it  will  heal  you  also." 
Which  of  the  two  is  the  better  physician?  Teachers  are  epistles, 
"known  and  read  of  aU  men."    Read  carefully  II  Cor.  3  :  1-6,  16-18. 

The  teacher  must  have  faith  in  the  spiritual  possibiHties  of  every 
pupil.  Side  by  side  with  the  bright  boy  who  is  descended  from  three 
generations  of  Christians  sits  Tony,  a  dark-eyed  lad  from  Italy,  or 
the  son  of  a  poor  washerwoman,  perhaps  dull  and  stolid  or  full  of 
energy  and  a  disposition  slightly  tainted  with  the  vicious.  The  suc- 
cessful teacher  must  be  able  to  see  in  all  three  "the  brother  for  whose 
sake  Christ  died."    I  Cor.  8:  11. 

If  a  teacher  possesses  these  two  quaHties  the  third  will  follow  as  a  re- 
sult; she  will  be  filled  with  a  contagious  enthusiasm  that  will  surmount 
all  obstacles  and  turn  discouragement  and  even  failure  into  victory. 

8 


THE  SPIRITUAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

(b)  Knowledge  should  include:  (1)  A  general  idea  of  the  meaning 
and  methods  of  teaching;  (2)  an  insight  into  the  life  of  the  pupil; 
(3)  a  thorough  grasp  of  the  Bible  as  teaching  material;  (4)  a  study  of 
the  principles  of  organization  and  administration  in  the  Sunday 
school.  It  is  the  purpose  of  the  first  year  textbook  to  present  these 
four  phases  in  outHne. 

2.  There  is  a  third  general  qualification  of  a  good  teacher  which  it 
might  be  well  to  mention,  namely,  experience.  Teaching  is  in  a  sense 
an  art  and  the  only  way  to  acquire  skill  is  through  experience.  Young 
people  learning  how  to  teach  need  both  the  theory  and  the  practice 
of  teaching.  If  the  training  class  is  held  on  a  week  night,  the  members 
might  be  used  as  substitute  teachers  under  the  observation  and  criti- 
cism of  the  class  teacher  or  the  departmental  superintendent.  It  is 
very  bad  practice  to  take  young  people  from  the  training-class  session 
to  act  as  substitute  teachers.  A  good  method  is  to  have  several  extra 
sessions  of  the  training  class  when  different  members  of  the  class  can 
take  turns  in  planning  the  lesson  and  teaching  it,  the  class  observing 
and  constructively  criticizing. 

Devotional  Thought. — At  the  close  of  each  lesson,  the  teacher  or 
some  member  of  the  class  should  lead  in  a  brief  devotional  period. 
Let  the  thought  for  this  week  be:  "The  spiritual  preparation  of  the 
teacher  for  his  task."  Phil.  3  :  7-15.  The  larger  portion  of  the 
time  should  be  spent  in  prayer. 


TEST  QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 
What  are  the  eight  fundamental  facts  in  religious  education? 
Why  is  education  necessary  at  all?     Describe  God's  way  of  edu- 
cating men. 

What  other  qualifications  of  a  good  teacher  would  you  add  to  the 
three  mentioned? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

(One  or  more  of  these  can  be  selected) 

Do  children  learn  better  by  experience  or  from  books? 
Which  is  the  more  influential,  the  personaUty  of  the  teacher  or  the 
study  of  the  material?     Why? 

Where  did  you  get  your  earliest  and  deepest  impressions  of  God? 
In  what  way  is  God  a  real  presence  in  your  Hfe? 

9 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

EXPERIMENTAL  WORK 

Recall  your  own  early  religious  experiences  and  compare  them  with 
the  statements  in  this  and  subsequent  studies.     Keep  notes. 

Observe  several  children  of  different  ages  and  make  the  same  com- 
parison. 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Gen.,  chs.  4-12;  Isa.,  chs.  53-55;  Ps.  8,  139;  Heb.,  chs. 
11,  12;  Matt.,  ch.  5;  John,  chs.  1,  16;  Col.,  chs.  1,  3;  Rev.,  ch.  21. 


10 


STUDY  II 

THE  MORAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 
THE  MEANING  OF  THE  WILL  AND  THE  CONSCIENCE 

The  child  feels  and  thinks  in  order  that  he  may  act.  The  power 
back  of  all  action  we  call  will.  To  act  always  in  the  right  way  and 
from  the  proper  motives  is  to  have  a  good  will.  At  first  all  action  is 
reflex,  then  it  becomes  instinctive  and  impulsive.  As  children  grow 
they  act  largely  from  imitation  and  suggestion,  and  finally,  with  the 
growth  of  the  mind,  action  tends  to  result  from  deUberate  choice. 

As  we  come  to  know  God,  we  discover  that  the  purpose  of  our  wills 
is  to  obey  him,  that  is,  to  do  what  is  right  and  to  satisfy  our  higher 
desires.    Something  tells  us  that  we  ought  to  do  this:  it  is  conscience. 

FREE  CHOICE  AND  THE  MORAL  IMPERATIVE 

One  of  the  greatest  moments  in  every  hfe  is  the  discovery  that  we 
are  free  to  choose  either  the  good  or  the  bad.  We  call  this  free  moral 
choice.  We  are  perfectly  free  to  choose  either,  but  morally  bound  to 
choose  the  higher  rather  than  the  lower  ends.  We  can,  therefore  we 
ought,  and  this  is  why  God  says,  "Thou  shalt."  When  we  deliber- 
ately choose  the  lower  rather  than  the  higher  ends  in  hfe  we  disobey 
God,  that  is,  we  thwart  his  purpose  in  our  lives,  which  is  his  will, 
and  so  we  sin,  which  means  we  miss  the  mark.  We  know  that  we  have 
chosen  the  lower  end  when  we  might  just  as  well  have  chosen  the 
higher.  This  is  the  sense  of  sin.  The  clearer  our  vision  of  Christ, 
the  keener  our  sense  of  sin.  If  we  destroy  this  power  of  free  moral 
choice  in  a  growing  boy  or  girl,  we  have  a  mere  automaton.  Freedom 
of  choice  and  self-expression  are  essential  to  character-building.  Thus 
we  develop  a  strong,  aggressive  will  that  achieves  great  things  for  God. 

HOW  WE  SIN 

Every  teacher  should  not  only  have  a  keen  sense  of  the  awfulness 
of  sin,  but  should  understand  clearly  just  how  a  pupil  is  led  into  sin. 

11 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

The  best  studies  of  the  psychology  of  sin  are  found  in  the  third 
chapter  of  Genesis  and  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans.  There  is 
nothing  that  equals  them  in  all  literature.  Read  Gen.  3  :  1-19  and 
note  the  following  steps:  (a)  A  suggestion  from  within  or  without 
implying  limitation  of  freedom;  (b)  a  quick  reflection  as  something 
wrong;  (c)  a  repetition  of  the  suggestion  implying  some  good  end; 
(d)  a  fixing  of  the  attention  upon  the  object  suggested;  (e)  a  per- 
ception of  something  to  be  desired;  (f)  the  thought  of  one's  being 
able  to  possess  it  if  he  wants  to  do  so;  (g)  the  dwelling  upon  this  fact; 
(h)  an  awakened  desire;  (i)  the  act  or  satisfaction  of  the  desire;  (j) 
the  sense  of  sin  against  God;  (k)  the  effort  to  hide  sin;  (1)  the  call  of 
conscience;  (m)  the  making  of  excuses  or  the  blaming  of  some  one 
else:    (n)  the  penalty  of  sin. 

"The  appeal  of  the  world  is  in  the  first  place  to  the  senses,  and  the 
child  responds  to  what  is  pleasing,  to  what  nourishes  and  flatters  the 
self;  he  resents  whatever  pains  him  or  restricts  the  free  movement  of 
his  impulse.  ,  .  .  Every  day  a  thousand  impressions  have  been 
stamped  upon  the  mind;  a  thousand  suggestions,  a  thousand  ofifers 
have  been  made.  These  have  come  to  him  at  home,  in  the  street,  at 
work,  in  conversation,  in  the  treatment  he  has  received,  in  rewards 
and  rebukes,  in  kindness  and  cruelty — all  which  have  awakened  im- 
pulses of  good  or  ill,  of  love  or  resentment,  of  secrecy  or  deceit,  of 
envy  or  greed.  And  every  assertion  of  the  self  has  strengthened  the 
innate  bias  towards  it,  tinged  the  thinking  more  deeply  with  its  love. 
.  .  .  But  some  day  they  are  organized  suddenly  (if  for  sin)  by  the 
sight  of  a  sinful  deed  done,  or  the  proposal  of  a  sin  by  one  who  has  been 
trusted,  or  by  something  that  has  been  read  in  a  book  or  paper,  or  (still 
more  powerful)  by  the  committing  of  some  actual  sin,  and  the  soul  knows 
evil.  .  .  .  From  that  moment  there  is  set  up  within  our  hearts 
a  system  of  evil  which  will  henceforth  readily  answer  to  every  sugges- 
tion of  evil  that  comes  from  without.  To  evil  we  will  now  most  prob- 
ably give  attention.  If  it  should  be  said  there  is  no  reason  why  we 
must  attend  to  evil,  seeing  that  good  also  is  within  us,  the  answer  is 
we  have  a  bias  to  evil.  Call  it  by  what  name  we  will,  explain  it  how 
we  may,  the  fact  remains,  evil  sticks  to  us  when  good  is  forgotten; 
evil  rises  more  readily  to  suggestion  than  good;  our  impulses  to  re- 
sentment and  self-assertion  are  swifter  in  action  than  impulses  to 

12 


THE  MORAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

kindness  and  forbearance.     The  heart  seems  to  bring  forth  evil  fruit 
from  its  very  soil." 

— Steven:   "Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul,"  p.  109  ff. 

THE  CONTROL  OF  THE  WILL 

An  act  of  sin  is  an  act  of  the  will.  The  most  fundamental  thing  in 
building  a  Christian  character  is  getting  control  of  the  will.  The 
teacher  should  master  the  meaning  of  the  following  six  rules  for  the 
control  of  the  will. 

1.  The  root  of  sin  is  in  the  selfish  desires  of  the  heart.  "And  Jehovah 
said  unto  Cain,  ...  If  thou  doest  well,  shall  it  not  be  Hfted  up?  and 
if  thou  doest  not  well,  sin  coucheth  at  the  door:  and  unto  thee  shall  be 
its  desire,  but  do  thou  rule  over  it."  Gen.  4 :  7.  Some  desires  are 
wholly  evil  and  can  be  uprooted  only  by  creating  good  desires  in  their 
stead.  Some  selfish  desires  spring  from  such  instincts  as  self-preserva- 
tion, hunger,  and  laying  up  treasure.  Instead  of  eradicating  these 
instincts  Jesus  sought  to  develop  them  for  higher  ends.  Read  Mark 
8:35-37;  Matt.  5:6;   6:  19,  20. 

2.  The  mind  should  be  filled  with  good  thoughts  and  controlling 
ideas,  especially  the  Ten  Commandments  backed  up  by  the  idea  of  an 
ever-present  God.  These  help  to  ward  off  ewl  suggestion,  as  in  the 
temptation  of  Jesus.  Read  Luke  4  :  1-13;  Phil.  4  :  8,  9. 

3.  The  development  of  habit  is  one  of  the  best  ways  of  controlling 
the  will.  There  are  habits  of  right  action,  good  living,  and  sound  think- 
ing. The  best  cure  for  bad  habits  is  the  centering  of  the  attention  upon 
the  making  of  good  habits. 

4.  The  will  is  brought  under  control  by  rigorous  exercise,  physical, 
mental,  and  moral.  We  should  develop  self-control  through  self- 
discipline.  There  should  be  some  repression  but  mostly  properly  di- 
rected expression. 

5.  Sin  divides  the  self  and  perverts  the  will  so  that  we  are  always 
doing  the  things  which  we  would  not  and  are  unable  to  do  the  things 
T,-hich  we  would.  Rom.  7 :  14  to  8 :  4.  The  only  cure  for  a  divided 
self  is  a  unified  self.  This  is  the  great  work  of  religious  education, 
and  it  involves  at  least  four  clearly  defined  steps:  (1)  A  sense  of  sin 
leading  to  repentance;  (2)  fixing  the  attention  upon  God  as  revealed 
in  the  cross  of  Christ ;  (3)  an  awakened  faith  and  love;  (4)  a  supreme 

13 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

choice  of  Christ  as  alone  able  to  take  away  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin 
through  his  death  upon  the  cross.  Read  Deut.  6 :  4-6;  Matt.  22 :  36- 
40;  John  3:  14-19;   12:32. 

6.  We  are  controlled  largely  by  our  ruling  ideals.  The  will  is  never 
fully  brought  under  control  until  we  make  Christ  the  one  supreme 
Ideal  and  enthrone  him  as  Lord  and  Master  with  sovereign  right  to 
rule. 

OVERCOMING  TEMPTATION 

Thoughtful  teachers  and  parents  will  be  ever  on  the  watch  to  guard 
their  boys  and  girls  from  the  evil  that  lurks  in  temptation.  Everyone 
is  tempted  daily.  The  more  w^e  try  to  obey  God  the  more  subtle  is 
the  temptation  to  disobedience  which  Satan  presents.  The  following 
passages  of  Scripture  will  greatly  help  teachers  in  dealing  with  the 
temptations  that  test  and  try  young  people.  Gen.  4:7;  Luke  4:  1- 
14;  Matt.  6:13;  26:41;  I  Cor.  10:1-22;  James  1:12-18;  Heh. 
2:16-18;   4:14-16. 

The  following  observations  in  addition  to  those  already  given 
should  prove  helpful: 

1.  Temptation  always  appears  as  something  that  will  do  good  or 
give  pleasure,  when  in  reality  it  will  work  harm.  If  evil  appeared  in 
all  its  true  ugHness,  we  would  shun  it  instantly. 

2.  Over  against  this  good  or  pleasure  is  the  possible  choice  of  a 
much  higher  good  or  pleasure.  The  testing  comes  in  possessing  the 
strength  to  choose  the  higher  in  the  presence  of  the  lower  good. 

3.  Sometimes  it  is  difficult  to  discern  between  the  higher  and  the 
lower  good,  in  which  case  always  give  God  the  opportunity  to  show 
you. 

4.  Some  temptations  are  unavoidable,  as,  for  instance,  the  tempta- 
tions that  came  to  Jesus;  these  we  must  let  him  help  us  overcome. 
Others  are  avoidable,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Corinthians,  I  Cor.  10 :  1-22; 
from  these  we  must  flee.    Shun  evil  companions. 

5.  Temptation  is  largely  individual.  Teachers  will  do  well  to  dis- 
cover the  temptations  peculiar  to  each  member  of  the  class.  Wise 
counsel  may  then  follow. 

6.  Victory  over  temptation  is  often  won  in  the  first  battle.  If  we 
yield  once,  the  fight  becomes  harder  the  second  time. 

7.  A  successful  teacher  once  gave  this  advice  to  a  class  of  boys, 

14 


THE  MORAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

"Boys,  whenever  you  are  tempted,  either  by  the  thought  or  the  sight 
of  evil,  just  close  your  eyes,  forget  your  temptation,  look  away  to 
Jesus,  and  then  keep  close  to  him."  It  is  not  wise  to  pray  too  fre- 
quently to  be  delivered  from  a  particular  besetting  sin.  To  seek  to 
crucify  a  particular  sin  by  fastening  the  attention  upon  it  may  be  to 
awaken  every  tendency  to  evil  and  invite  defeat.  Rather  should  we 
teach  children  to  turn  the  soul  away  to  God,  to  ask  to  be  filled  with 
good  thoughts,  holy  desires,  noble  purpose,  and  to  seek  the  constant 
fellowship  of  Jesus;  thus  will  the  Holy  Spirit  fortify  life  against  all 
evil. 

THE  BEAUTIFUL  AND  THE  GOOD 

A  wise  teacher  will  develop  a  feeling  for  the  beautiful  and  the  good. 
Children  should  be  taught  to  abhor  that  which  is  evil  and  cleave  to 
that  which  is  good;  to  hate  as  ugly  everything  we  do  that  is  wrong, 
selfish,  cruel,  unjust,  and  unkind;  to  love  as  beautiful  everything  we 
do  that  is  good,  unselfish,  truthful,  just,  and  kind. 

Both  in  the  homes  and  in  the  Sunday  school  we  should  surround 
children  with  good  music,  flowers,  and  pictures,  and  above  all,  with 
beautiful  Hves.  This  will  make  them  doubly  sensitive  to  the  moral 
beauty  of  Christ.  In  proportion  as  children  grow  to  love  the  beauty 
that  is  in  Christ,  they  will  hate  the  ugliness  that  is  in  sin. 

Devotional  Thought.— Doing  God's  Will.    John  4  :  31-35. 

TEST  QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

Trace  the  development  of  the  moral  sense. 

What  is  sin?    How  do  we  sin? 

Why  is  control  of  the  will  so  essential  to  character-building? 

How  would  you  control  the  will  of  a  growing  child? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

What  is  the  relation  of  attention  to  character-building? 
What  is  the  relation  of  morality  to  religion? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Gen.,  ch.  3;  Ps.  51;  Rom.,  chs.  7,  8;  Gal.,  ch.  5. 
Steven. — "Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul."     Ch.  IV. 
HORNE.— "Psychological  Foundations."     Chs.  XX,  XXI,  XXIX. 
FORBUSH.— " Child  Study  and  Child  Life."    Ch.  XVI. 

15 


STUDY  III 
THE  SOCIAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

Little  girls  play  with  their  dolls  and  act  as  mothers;  they  play 
house  and  order  groceries  and  have  social  functions  just  like  their 
elders.  Boys  build  houses,  construct  railways,  and  play  conductor, 
or  doctor,  or  preacher,  as  the  occasion  demands.  Older  children  form 
clubs,  elect  officers,  debate  great  poHtical  questions,  and  hold  festivals 
for  some  benevolent  purpose.  We  explain  these  things  by  saying  that 
all  children  are  largely  guided  in  their  play  by  the  instinct  of  imita- 
tion. But  this  does  not  explain  everything.  It  is  true  that  our  in- 
stincts are  for  the  purpose  of  helping  us  to  adjust  ourselves  readily 
to  our  elemental  life  tasks,  but  here  we  also  find  initiative,  imagina- 
tion, and,  many  times,  quite  original  thinking  and  planning.  The 
conclusion  is  that  children  are  fundamentally  social  beings,  created 
for  social  ends,  and  that  even  in  their  play  Kfe  they  are  being  infor 
mally  trained  to  take  their  places  in  the  larger  social  life  of  the  insti- 
tutions with  which  they  come  into  contact. 

Why  should  not  the  Church  train  its  children  to  take  their  places 
in  the  social  structure  as  Christian  fathers  and  mothers  and  citizens? 
How  can  the  Sunday-school  teacher  aid  in  this  important  task?  Con- 
sider the  truth  of  these  propositions:  (1)  Man  is  a  social  being.  (2) 
Man  cannot  develop  into  his  best  self  apart  from  contact  with  his 
fellow  men.  (3)  Every  social  institution  exists  in  order  to  help  all 
men  to  inherit  the  blessings  of  civilization  and  to  grow  into  the  like- 
ness of  God.  (4)  As  the  ideal  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  develops  in  men 
it  tends  to  express  itself  in  higher  types  of  social  institutions.  (5) 
Boys  and  girls  are  educated  largely  through  contact  with  these  insti- 
tutions, in  order  that  they  may  find  their  proper  places  in  them  when 
they  grow  to  manhood  and  womanhood. 

THE  FAMILY 

The  fourth  chapter  of  Genesis  records  the  family  as  the  first  social 
institution.     It  rests  upon  two  fundamental  principles:    (1)  Blood 

16 


THE  SOCIAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

relationship  and  (2)  religion.  It  is  an  institution  sanctified  by  God 
for  perpetuating  the  race  and  for  educating  and  uplifting  mankind 
When  Cain  kiUed  Abel  he  not  only  took  a  human  life,  but  he  struck 
at  the  very  root  of  God's  purpose  in  the  family,  at  love  and  human 
brotherhood  and  the  whole  purpose  of  the  social  structure.  It  was  a 
sm  against  God  and  also  against  society;  and  it  is  the  business  of  the 
teacher  of  religion  to  develop  the  social  as  well  as  the  individual  con- 
science and  to  teach  young  people  how  to  live  as  Christians  in  the  home 
the  community,  and  the  State.  ' 

It  is  in  the  family  that  Httle  children  get  their  first  impression  of 
God  and  learn  the  meaning  of  reverence,  prayer,  worship,  obedience 
love,  purity,  truthfulness,  and  helpfulness.  The  Sunday  school  should 
not  take  over  these  plain  duties  of  fathers  and  mothers,  thinking  to 
perform  them  better.  The  task  of  the  Sunday  school  is  to  do  all  it 
can,  through  its  Cradle  Roll,  Home  Department,  and  teachers,  to  get 
each  home  in  the  congregation  and  community  to  set  up  the  family 
altar  and  teach  the  children  rehgion.  There  should  be  the  closest 
cooperation  between  the  home  and  the  teacher.  If  the  Church  will 
put  more  emphasis  upon  the  home  life,  and  if  teachers  will  take  every 
opportunity  to  exalt  it  in  the  eyes  of  the  children,  we  shaU  soon  have  a 
generation  of  parents  who  will  be  faithful  in  the  religious  training  of 
their  children. 

Changed  economic  conditions,  many  social  engagements,  and  the 
claims  of  the  business  world,  make  it  necessary  for  many  people  to 
adapt  the  idea  of  family  worship  to  particular  situations,  but  anyone 
who  IS  in  earnest  can  find  time  for  a  brief  reading  from  the  Bible  and 
the  humble  acknowledgment  of  God's  goodness  and  care. 

The  formation  of  a  parents'  class  in  connection  with  the  Sunday 
school  will  aid  in  the  work  of  training  children.  This  class  is  often 
held  in  conjunction  with  the  Beginners  and  the  Primary  departments 
A  Parents'  Day  in  the  Sunday  school  has  proved  successful,  also  the 
plan  of  having  the  parents  and  teachers  come  together  on  a  week  night 
for  conference. 

THE  TRIBE  AND  COMMUNITY 

In  the  story  of  Abraham  we  find  the  family  rapidly  enlarging  into  a 
tribal  relationship  with  the  family  altar  in  the  midst.     Servants  and 

17 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

strangers  were  adopted  into  the  family  by  accepting  the  same  religion. 
This  was  a  very  significant  step.  The  principle  of  human  brotherhood 
was  transferred  from  a  blood  to  a  spiritual  relationship.  The  cove- 
nant which  God  made  with  Abraham  was  to  be  shared  not  only  by  his 
own  family  but  by  all  famiUes  and  nations  who  through  Abraham 
beheved  in  God.     Read  Gen.,  chs.  12-17;  also  Rom.,  ch.  4. 

From  the  standpoint  of  rehgious  education,  the  greatest  discovery 
of  the  nineteenth  century  was  the  child.  The  greatest  discovery  of 
the  twentieth  century  is  the  community.  There  is  a  distinct  com- 
munity consciousness  and  life.  Every  community  has  individuahty, 
manners,  customs,  moral  standards,  ideals,  and  an  atmosphere  all 
its  own.  Next  to  the  home,  it  is  through  contact  with  the  life  of 
the  community  that  a  child  enters  into  possession  of  the  spiritual 
inheritance  of  the  race.  The  Church  should  recognize  a  large  respon- 
sibiUty  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  transformation  of  the  community 
life.  It  is  here  that  the  Sunday-school  superintendents  and  teachers 
can  render  a  large  service. 

THE  NATION 

In  the  book  of  Exodus  we  find  Moses  under  the  guidance  of  God 
welding  twelve  tribes  into  a  nation.  They  did  have  a  blood  tie,  but 
it  was  not  sufficient  to  sustain  so  large  a  relationship.  In  the  Ten 
Commandments  we  find  morality  and  religion  bound  inseparably 
together  and  made  the  basis  of  social  union.  This  was  a  wonderful 
step  forward  in  the  education  of  the  race.  As  a  result,  all  social  ideals 
took  on  an  ethical  meaning.     Read  Ex.,  chs.  20-23. 

Something  more  than  the  family  altar  was  needed,  hence  the 
tabernacle.  God  was  recognized  as  present  in  the  life  and  afifairs  of 
the  nation.  Read  Ex.,  ch.  40.  The  family,  however,  was  made  the 
primary  institution  for  religious  training.  Read  Deut.,  ch.  6.  In  the 
time  of  David  and  Solomon  the  national  and  the  religious  conscious- 
ness reached  their  fullest  expression  through  the  State  and  the  Tem- 
ple.    Read  I  Kings,  ch.  8. 

Neither  kings  nor  people  fully  grasped  the  meaning  of  all  this; 
as  a  result,  idolatry,  unrighteousness,  and  social  injustice  prevailed; 
these  were  the  three  outstanding  sins  of  Israel.  Against  these  sins 
the  prophets  proclaimed  the  wrath  of  God  and  the  penalty  of  national 

18 


THE  SOCIAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

obliteration.  But  they  also  preached  that  worship  of  the  true  God 
and  the  practice  of  righteousness  and  justice,  if  extended  to  other 
nations,  would  prepare  the  way  for  international  peace  and  the  uni- 
versal reign  of  God  on  earth.  Thus  the  social  ideal  took  form.  This 
great  message  of  the  prophets  was  quickened  and  clarified  by  the 
calamity  of  the  Captivity.  All  this  time  God  was  educating  his  people. 
Read  Amos,  ch.  5;   Micah,  ch.  4;   Isa.,  chs.  40,  52-55. 

When  Jesus  came  he  took  the  imperfect  social  ideal  of  Israel 
and  made  it  luminous  and  vital  in  the  idea  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 
According  to  Jesus,  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  the  will  of  God  obeyed  on 
earth  by  all  men.  Righteousness,  justice,  love,  and  peace,  are  its 
abiding  principles.  The  Fatherhood  of  God,  the  brotherhood  of  man, 
and  the  universal  Lordship  of  Christ  are  the  great  concepts  or  ideas  by 
which  men  grasp  the  meaning  of  these  principles.  In  order  that  they 
may  be  universally  grasped,  the  gospel  of  Christ  must  be  preached  to 
all  peoples.  The  Christian  Church  came  into  existence  and  took 
over  the  functions  of  public  worship  which  belonged  to  the  Temple 
and  the  work  of  teaching  which  belonged  to  the  synagogue.  The 
Church  is  the  corporate  body  of  Christ,  the  fellowship  of  believers  in 
Jesus.  Through  the  Church  men  become  conscious  of  the  presence 
of  God  in  the  Ufe  of  the  community  and  the  nation.  It  is  the  chosen 
instrument  of  Christ  for  the  reahzation  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  upon 
earth. 

THE  EDUCATIVE  PROCESS 

The  way  in  which  the  social  consciousness  and  ideal  developed  in 
the  Bible  and  in  Christian  history  is  the  way  in  which  it  must  develop 
in  every  growing  child.  We  are  told  in  the  Gospel  of  Luke  that  the 
divinely. begotten  Babe  of  Bethlehem  Hved  a  natural  Hfe  in  the  humble 
home  at  Nazareth  where  he  grew  strong  and  advanced  in  wisdom. 
He  no  doubt  attended  the  synagogue  school,  where  he  studied  the 
Scriptures,  and  attended  faithfully  the  synagogue  service  on  the  Sab- 
bath Day.  All  the  requirements  of  the  Law  were  carefully  observed 
and  at  twelve  years  of  age  he  was  taken  to  the  Temple  in  order  that  he 
might  publicly  assume  his  religious  responsibilities.  When  the  Hebrew 
boy  studied  his  Bible  he  also  studied  the  history  of  his  own  nation  from 
a  reUgious  viewpoint.  The  national  ideals  and  struggles,  together  with 

19 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

the  vision  of  a  great  national  destiny,  were  a  part  of  his  education 
With  all  of  this  Jesus  was  perfectly  familiar,  and  at  the  appointed  hour, 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  came  upon  him,  he  consecrated  his  whole  Ufe 
to  the  realization  of  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

In  a  modified  form  every  pupil  should  pass  through  this  same 
experience,  and  it  is  the  function  of  the  Church  school  to  aid  each  boy 
and  girl  to  take  these  several  steps.  During  infancy  the  mother  is 
the  sole  teacher  of  the  child  and  the  home  will  always  be  the  chief 
instrument  of  education.  At  about  seven  years  of  age  the  interests  of 
the  child  begin  to  enlarge  and  to  reach  outside  of  the  home.  The 
community  in  many  ways  takes  up  the  educative  process.  Through 
the  study  of  history  and  geography  the  horizon  of  the  child  expands 
until  he  becomes  conscious  of  national  and  world  relationships,  and 
hand  in  hand  with  this  wider  knowledge  must  go  love  of  country  and 
love  of  his  fellow  men.  The  task  of  the  teacher  is  to  lead  the  indi- 
vidual into  such  an  apprehension  of  God  that  he  will  use  all  his  God- 
given  powers  for  the  highest  social  ends.  The  child  should  early  be 
taught  to  assume  responsibilities  in  the  family  and  to  defend  the 
sacredness  of  the  home  against  any  sinister  influences.  The  whole 
teaching  of  the  Scriptures  should  be  such  as  will  lead  boys  and  girls 
to  confess  Christ  and  assume  their  full  place  as  Christians  in  the  life 
of  the  Church  and  community;  to  see  in  one's  national  life  an 
opportunity  to  serve  humanity;  and  to  work  for  that  day  when  all 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  will  become  the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  Christ. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  homes  and  pubHc  schools 
that  they  may  become  real  centers  of  religious  training.     Eph.  6  :  1-4. 

TEST  QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY  . 

Why  has  religious  education  a  social  basis? 

Trace  the  development  of  social  institutions. 

How  is  the  education  of  children  related  to  these  institutions? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

Which  is  the  more  important  to  the  education  of  children — the  home, 
the  Church,  or  the  public  school? 

What  other  forces  are  helping  to  educate  children? 

20 


THE  SOCIAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Gen.,  chs.  4,  12-17;  Ex.,  chs.  20-23,  40;  DeuL,  ch.  6; 
I  Kings,  ch.  8;  Amos,  ch.  5;  Micah,  ch.  4;  Isa.,  chs.  40,  52-55; 
Ephesians. 

FoRBUSH.— "Child  Study  and  Child  Training."  Chs.  II,  VII, 
XXVII-XXXVI. 

*'What  the  Presbyterian  Church  BeHeves  About  Social  Problems. 

Thwing.— "The  Family."     Revised  edition. 

Jennings. — "Fourth  Year  Senior  Graded  Lessons." 


21 


STUDY  IV 
THE  PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

THE  DIVINE  INBREATHING 

The  close  relation  between  the  body  and  the  soul  is  clearly  stated 
in  Gen.  2  :  7,  "And  Jehovah  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground 
and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  Hfe;  and  man  became  a 
living  soul."  That  which  marks  man  as  something  essentially  above 
and  beyond  the  brute  creation  is  the  result  of  a  divine  inbreathing. 
The  result  of  this  inbreathing  is  a  unity,  a  "Hving  soul"  capable  of 
communion  with  God.  The  body  is  therefore  the  house  or  temple  in 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  dwells.  Read  I  Cor.  6:  12-20.  As  such,  it  is 
sacred  and  dedicated  to  God.  Every  boy  and  girl  should  be  made 
aware  of  this  fact.  Read  Psalm  139.  To  sin  against  our  bodies  is  to 
sin  against  God.  The  Greeks  placed  great  emphasis  upon  physical 
education  in  order  that  their  children  might  make  a  strong  race  with 
beautiful  bodies  and  intellectual  superiority.  In  our  modern  high 
schools  and  colleges  boys  and  girls  take  care  of  their  bodies  in  order 
that  they  may  win  contests  and  prizes.  In  the  same  way  they  should 
be  taught  to  strive  after  the  incorruptible  crown  of  a  pure  and  holy 
Hfe.    Read  I  Cor.  9  :  24-27;  II  Tim.  2  :  1-13. 

Likewise  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Church  to  see  that  children  are  well- 
born and  well  nourished;  that  they  have  cleanly  homes,  pure  sur- 
roundings, plenty  of  fresh  air,  and  a  place  to  play  and  grow  strong. 
An  inherited  tendency  to  disease  which  is  the  result  of  sin  on  the  part 
of  the  parent  will  weaken  the  moral  nature  of  the  child.  God  visits 
the  sins  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children.  So  also  diseases  and  in- 
suflficient  nourishment  retard  mental  and  moral  development.  The 
bad  effects  of  measles,  scarlet  fever,  rickets,  an  accident  in  childhood, 
adenoids,  bad  eyesight,  cigarettes,  and  impure  habits,  should  all  be 
taken  into  account  by  the  teacher  in  moral  and  religious  education. 

SENSORY  AND  MOTOR  NERVES 

The  nervous  system,  somewhat  Hke  a  telephone  system,  has  two 
sets  of  nerves  radiating  from  the  central  brain.     One  set  of  nerves 

n 


THE  PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

carries  all  sensations,  such  as  touch,  light,  sound,  and  pain,  from  the 
surface  of  the  body,  or  from  the  vital  organs,  to  the  brain.  These  are 
called  sensory  nerves.  Another  set  of  nerves  carries  the  reaction  to 
these  sensations  from  the  brain  to  the  muscles  as  determined,  pur- 
poseful action.  These  are  called  motor  nerves.  In  some  children 
the  sensory  nerves  are  the  more  highly  developed  and  the  child  be- 
comes quiet  and  reflective.  In  others  the  motor  nerves  dominate 
and  the  child  acts  and  speaks  quickly  without  much  thought.  A  suc- 
cessful Bible  teacher  will  insist  that  every  pupil  react  to  the  truth 
presented  through  a  thoughtful  self-expression  accompanied  by  the 
awakening  of  the  proper  religious  emotion. 

THE  PHYSICAL  BASIS  OF  HABIT 
When  the  mind  reacts  in  a  certain  way  to  a  sensation  or  impression, 
it  makes  a  kind  of  groove  in  the  nervous  system.  When  the  sensa- 
tion reoccurs  the  mind  has  a  tendency  to  act  in  the  same  way,  and  the 
reaction  soon  becomes  habitual  and  passes  out  from  under  the  control 
of  the  will.  This  is  the  physical  basis  of  habit.  If  it  is  a  good  habit, 
it  may  be  encouraged,  but  if  it  is  a  bad  habit,  it  should  be  broken. 
The  best  way  for  a  teacher  to  stop  a  bad  habit  is  to  create  a  good  habit 
in  its  place.  It  is  the  work  of  the  teacher  to  build  up  habits  of  wor- 
ship, of  sound  thinking,  and  of  good  living.  To  think  or  act  in  a  cer- 
tain way  because  we  are  in  the  habit  of  doing  so  may  not  be  to  think 
or  act  from  the  highest  motives,  such  as  good  impulses  and  high  ideals. 
Nevertheless  we  are  so  made  that  we  need  good  habits  as  a  safeguard 
from  temptation  and  as  an  aid  to  proper  conduct.  Some  one  has  said 
that  the  habit  of  sound  thinking  is  worth  more  than  a  thousand  sound 
thoughts  with  the  habit  of  loose,  inaccurate  thinking. 

Habits  of  good  hving  should  include  cleanliness,  good  manners, 
obedience,  a  tidy  appearance,  kind  deeds,  helpfulness  at  all  times  to 
mother,  to  father,  to  brothers  and  sisters  and  playmates,  the  habit  of 
prayer,  daily  Bible  reading,  and  giving  of  one's  money  to  the  Lord. 
Teachers  should  cooperate  with  parents  in  every  way  to  provide  the 
motive  and  the  opportunity  for  forming  such  habits. 

Professor  James  describes  education  as  the  organization  of  acquired 
habits  of  conduct  and  tendencies  to  behavior.  He  then  calls  atten- 
tion to  four  well-known  rules  for  establishing  a  good  habit: 

23 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

1.  In  the  acquisition  of  a  new  habit,  or  the  leaving  off  of  an  old  one, 
we  must  launch  ourselves  with  as  strong  and  decided  an  initiative  as 
possible. 

2.  Never  suffer  an  exception  to  occur  till  the  new  habit  is  securely 
rooted  in  your  life. 

3.  Seize  the  very  first  possible  opportunity  to  act  on  every  resolu- 
tion you  make,  and  on  every  emotional  prompting  you  may  experience 
in  the  direction  of  the  habits  you  aspire  to  gain. 

4.  Keep  the  faculty  of  effort  alive  in  you  by  a  little  gratuitous  ex- 
ercise every  day. 

THE  USE  OF  THE  SENSES 

1.  The.  Six  Senses. — The  sense  organs  are  highly  developed  nerve 
endings.  In  addition  to  the  senses  of  sight,  hearing,  touch,  taste,  and 
smell,  there  is  the  muscular  sense  which  comes  from  special  nerve 
endings  located  in  the  muscles.  These  senses  are  gateways  to  the 
mind. 

2.  Sense  Images. — Every  time  the  mind  seeks  to  grasp  a  new  truth 
it  does  so  by  first  trying  to  image  it  in  terms  of  the  past  experience  of 
one  or  more  of  the  senses.  Not  one  mind  in  a  thousand  can  grasp  an 
abstract  statement  without  first  getting  an  image  of  it.  (a)  Taste. 
"How  sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  taste."  Ps.  119  :  103.  (b) 
Touch.  "There  went  with  him  the  men  of  valor  [Margin]  whose 
hearts  God  had  touched."  I  Sam.  10  :  26.  (c)  Smell.  "We  are  a 
sweet  savor  of  Christ  unto  God."  II  Cor.  2  :  15.  (d)  Hearing. 
"Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness."  Ps.  51  :  8.  (e)  Sight.  "Ye 
are  the  Hght  of  the  world."  Matt.  5  :  14.  (f)  The  muscular  sense  is 
seen  in  the  physical  attitude  indicating  reverence  and  in  the  vital  re- 
lation between  gesture  and  speech.  As  mental  Hfe  and  culture  de- 
veloped, mankind  came  to  depend  less  upon  the  senses  of  smell  and 
taste  and  more  upon  sight,  hearing,  and  expression. 

3.  Two  Rules  of  Teaching. — (a)  In  presenting  a  truth  to  the  mind, 
use  more  than  one  way  of  approach.  Have  the  child  see  the  truth, 
and  act  it  as  well  as  hear  it. 

(b)  Always  get  the  pupil  to  form  a  mental  image  of  the  truth  in 
terms  of  some  sense  experience. 

For  example:    Suppose  the  teacher  wishes  to  present  the  sin  of 

24 


THE  PHYSICAL  AND  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

anxiety  and  the  need  of  faith  and  trust.  Most  people  are  anxious  about 
food,  clothing,  and  money.  First  have  the  class  imagine  a  field  of 
flowers  that  they  have  seen — the  beauty,  the  fragrance,  the  quiet  con- 
tentment of  the  flowers;  then,  if  possible,  produce  a  bunch  of  field 
flowers  or  liHes.  From  here  on  use  the  lesson  of  Jesus  found  in  Matt. 
6 :  25-34:  "Consider  the  UUes  of  the  field,  how  they  grow." 

OBJECT  TEACHING 
This  should   include   blackboard  work,  maps,  drawings,  objects, 
and  pictures.     Four  principles  should  govern  their  use  : 

1.  They  will  challenge  the  lagging  attention  if  produced  at  the 
proper  moment. 

2.  The  object  should  be  simple  and  more  easily  understood  than  the 
truth  it  seeks  to  explain.  A  map  or  diagram  which  requires  tedious 
explanation  defeats  its  purpose. 

3.  It  should  throw  new  light  upon  the  subject,  make  the  truth 
vivid,  and  lead  to  the  desired  conclusion  and  judgment.  An  object 
or  picture  that  takes  the  mind  away  from  the  truth  it  seeks  to  illus- 
trate is  distracting  the  attention. 

4.  In  the  case  of  a  picture  which  is  a  real  work  of  art,  the  teacher 
should  guide  the  mind  of  the  class  to  discover  the  ideal  or  vision  of  the 
artist  which  the  picture  discloses. 

HANDWORK 

The  class  should  have  as  large  a  part  as  possible  in  the  drawing  and 
map  work.  This  greatly  increases  its  effectiveness  as  a  medium  of 
instruction  with  httle  children.  Handwork  also  includes  the  making 
of  objects  which  will  in  some  way  illustrate  the  truth  taught.  Some 
people  object  to  this  kind  of  work.  If  properly  used  and  not  allowed 
to  interfere  with  important  things  it  should  prove  very  valuable. 
For  example,  take  the  truth  in  Matt.  10:42  about  the  cup  of  cold 
water.  This  may  mean  Hterally  a  cup  of  water  or  any  kind  of  food, 
or  any  simple  kindness.  Prepare  paper  cards,  each  bearing  the  words, 
"A  Cup  of  Kindness,"  in  such  form  that  they  may  be  folded  easily 
into  cups.  Have  each  little  child  make  a  cup  and  take  it  to  some  other 
child  in  the  room,  then  home  to  mother  or  sister. 

The  making  of  notebooks,  the  illustrating  of  great  hymns  and  texts, 

25 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

the  making  of  tabernacles,  oriental  houses,  and  various  objects  men- 
tioned in  the  lessons,  all  serve  to  make  the  truth  vivid  and  real. 

MOTION  SONGS  AND  DRAMATIC  INTERPRETATION 

Any  truth  is  made  vivid  and  real  to  small  children  when  it  is  inter- 
preted through  the  muscular  adjustments  and  sensations,  as  in  dia- 
logues, in  acting  out  Bible  scenes,  and  in  motion  songs.  With  older 
pupils  the  sense  of  gesture  and  the  dramatic  instinct  perform  the  same 
function.  The  dramatic  interpretation  of  Bible  scenes  is  a  powerful 
method  of  religious  instruction  which  is  destined  to  have  a  large  place 
in  the  Sunday  school  of  the  future. 

Devotional  Thought. — The  presentation  of  our  bodies  as  a  living 
sacrifice  to  God.     Rom.  12  :  1,  2;  I  Cor.  6  :  19,  20. 

TEST  QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

What  is  the  Church's  duty  toward  the  physical  welfare  of  children? 
Why? 
Explain  the  nervous  system  and  the  meaning  of  sense  perception. 
What  have  you  learned  about  habit  formation? 
Describe  the  value  of  object  teaching. 

SUBJECTS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

What  are  some  of  the  dangers  of  object  teaching? 

What  is  the  relation  of  recreation  to  education? 

Practical  Experiment. — Let  the  teacher-training  class  become  a 
class  of  fourth-year  Juniors,  then  select  one  of  the  class  to  take  about 
five  minutes  to  present  Acts  16  :  6-12,  with  the  use  of  the  blackboard. 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Gen.,  ch.  1;  I  Cor.  6:  12-20;  Matt.  22:  15-22. 
Hervey. — "Picture  Work."     Chs.  II,  VII. 
Thorndike. — "Elements  of  Psychology."    Section  I. 
Thomson. — "Brain  and  Personality."    Ch.  II. 
LiTTLEFiELD. — "Handwork  in  the  Sunday  School."    Ch.  III. 
HoRNE. — "The    Psychological    Principles    of    Education."      Chs. 
VII,  XI,  XXVL 
Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."    Ch.  IX. 
Bagley.— "The  Educative  Process."     Ch.  \TI. 
Wardle. — "Handwork  in  Religious  Education." 

26 


STUDY  V 
THE  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

HOW  THE  MIND  THINKS 
The  mind  grows  into  a  knowledge  of  ideas  largely  by  experience 
which  is  made  up  of  four  primary  elements. 

1.  There  is  the  instinct  of  self-preservation  which  is  born  with  us, 
the  earhest  manifestation  of  which  is  physical  hunger  and  the  desire  to 
satisfy  it. 

2.  There  are  the  elementary  feelings  of  fear,  anger,  hatred,  and  love. 
Certainly  fear  is  instinctive  and  the  other  three  in  their  most  rudi- 
mentary form  are  very  largely  so.  They  all  appear  soon  after  birth, 
and  become  motive  forces  which  often  determine  the  character  of  the 
action. 

3.  There  is  born  with  every  life  an  inner  purposive  will  which  is  the 
principle  of  self-activity.  At  first  simple  physical  action,  it  always 
has  a  tendency  to  act  for  the  good  of  the  organism  unless  turned  aside 
and  is  the  basic  force  in  self-expression  and  moral  conduct. 

4.  There  is  sensation,  by  which  the  mind  gets  particular  notions. 
The  two  most  primary  sensations  are  hunger  and  light.  The  first  is 
an  inner  sensation.  It  comes  from  within  and  helps  the  mind  to  in- 
terpret the  meaning  of  the  body  and  self.  The  sensation  of  light  is 
the  beginning  of  vision:  it  comes  from  without  and  helps  to  interpret 
the  outer  world  of  things  and  persons. 

SENSE  PERCEPTION  OR  NOTIONS  OF  THINGS  AND 

OF  PERSONS 
The  newly  born  child  experiences  the  sensation  of  hunger,  and 
milk  is  supplied.  This  is  followed  by  the  reflex  adjustment  of  the 
muscles  and  satisfaction  results.  The  muscular  effort  and  sensation 
interpret  the  experience.  Soon  the  child  grasps  the  relation  between 
the  bottle  of  milk  and  the  sensation  of  hunger;  this  leads  to  a  notion 
of  a  thing  which  is  sense  perception.     It  is  something  that  satisfies 

27 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

a  need,  removes  a  pain,  gives  pleasure,  and  is  a  perception  gained 
through  the  senses. 

Then  the  child  grasps  the  relation  between  the  bottle  and  the 
nurse  or  mother  who  always  brings  the  bottle;  this  leads  to  the  notion 
of  a  person:  a  person  is  one  who  satisfies  a  need,  helps  remove  a  pain, 
and  gives  pleasure.  Any  object  or  person  who  causes  pain  arouses 
fear.  Anyone  who  causes  pleasure,  or  satisfies  a  desire,  or  removes 
pain,  awakens  love  and  later  gratitude  and  trust.  Anyone  who 
thwarts  a  desire  arouses  anger  which  may  lead  to  hatred.  These 
awakened  emotions  intensify  and  make  vivid  the  experience.  The 
notion  both  of  a  particular  thing  and  of  a  person  has  been  interpreted 
by  the  experience  of  adjustment  to  a  vital  need. 

THE  RELIGIOUS  CONSCIOUSNESS 

To  be  aware  of  this  experience  as  something  happening  is  to  be 
conscious  of  it.  Consciousness  is  awareness,  that  is,  being  aware  of 
what  is  going  on  at  any  given  time.  As  soon  as  a  child  begins  to  know 
about  God,  to  pray  to  God,  and  to  love  and  obey  him,  he  begins  to 
have  a  religious  consciousness.  When  he  begins  to  respect  and  love 
other  children  because  God  is  their  common  Father,  the  child  greatly 
enriches  his  rehgious  Hfe.  When  he  comes  to  know  Christ  as  the 
revelation  of  God  the  Father,  and  to  love  and  trust  him  as  Redeemer, 
the  growing  child  may  be  said  to  have  a  Christian  consciousness.  All 
teaching  should  lead  up  to  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  sense  of 
his  personal  presence  in  every  life. 

APPERCEPTION 

A  ball  is  presented  to  a  child.  The  child  thinks  it  must  be  some- 
thing to  eat,  and  into  the  mouth  it  goes  until  by  experience  the  child 
learns  that  it  is  for  another  purpose.  So  with  persons;  they  are  either 
friends  to  feed  and  care  for  us,  to  love  and  assist  us,  or  they  are 
strangers  who  may  harm  us.  The  child  learns  the  meaning  of  a  new 
thing  or  truth  by  what  it  already  knows  as  the  result  of  past  experi- 
ence. This  is  called  apperception.  It  is  passing  from  the  known  to 
the  unknown,  and  is  a  fundamental  law  of  the  mind  which  must  be 
observed  by  the  teacher.  No  matter  what  a  thing  or  a  truth  may  mean 
to  the  teacher  it  will  mean  to  the  pupil  only  what  his  past  experience 

28 


THE  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

enables  him  to  understand  until  by  additional  experience  he  grasps 
its  fuller  meaning.  When  Jesus  wanted  to  tell  the  people  that  he  loved 
them  and  was  willing  to  lay  down  liis  life  for  them  that  they  might 
have  spiritual  Hfe,  he  said  to  them,  "I  am  the  good  shepherd."  They 
understood  him  perfectly  because  they  knew  all  about  shepherds. 
A  teacher  once  tried  to  teach  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  to  a  group  of 
foundUng  children  in  an  institution  in  New  York  City.  They  did  not 
understand  because  they  had  never  seen  or  heard  about  sheep.  It 
was  very  hard  for  them  to  grasp  the  meaning  of  God  as  a  heavenly 
Father  because  they  had  never  known  an  earthly  father.  Read  Luke 
11 :  1-13  as  an  example  of  the  use  of  the  law  of  apperception  in  teach- 
ing about  prayer. 

THE  TRANSFORMATION  OF  INSTINCTS 

Instincts  are  inherited  tendencies  to  action  which  awaken  at 
different  periods  in  life.  Some  die  out,  others  become  fixed  as  habits, 
while  a  few  are  fundamental  to  all  life  and  persist.  As  they  develop 
the  teacher  should  seize  upon  them  as  new  centers  of  interest  and  ap- 
perception. Association  with  ideas  gradually  changes  the  nature  of 
the  instinct,  lifting  it  to  a  higher  plane,  where  it  remains  in  the  form 
of  an  ideal,  as  a  driving  force  in  conduct. 

The  most  fundamental  instincts  are  self-preservation,  race  per- 
petuation, and  sociability.  The  moral  sense  and  the  religious  impulse 
possess  instinctive  elements;  especially  is  this  true  of  faith.  Almost 
all  other  instincts  are  in  some  way  related  to  these,  as  hunger,  fear, 
love,  imitation,  play,  curiosity,  sympathy,  filial  affection,  parental 
care,  acquisitiveness,  and  the  passion  for  immortality. 

Some  of  these  instincts  are  present  at  birth,  others  appear  from 
time  to  time  during  the  first  eighteen  years  of  Hfe.  Two  very  im- 
portant observations  should  be  made  at  this  point.  (1)  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  dawn  of  each  of  the  periods  of  childhood  and  youth 
is  accompanied  by  the  awakening  of  a  new  instinct  or  by  the  requick- 
ening  of  an  old  instinct.  (2)  It  will  be  further  observed  that  most  of 
the  things  in  which  both  young  and  old  are  interested  are  in  some 
way  related  to  one  or  more  of  the  above  named  instincts.  A  teacher 
must  try  to  find  out  the  controlling  interests  of  each  member  of  the 
class  and  in  some  way  relate  the  lesson  truth  to  them.    One  boy  may 

29 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

be  all  for  baseball,  another  for  reading,  a  third  may  have  a  passion  for 
animals,  or  pigeons,  or  for  collecting  stamps.  One  young  lady  may 
be  wholly  absorbed  in  dress  or  society,  while  the  girl  who  sits  beside 
her  may  be  deeply  in  love  and  dreaming  of  an  ideal  young  man,  of 
motherhood,  and  a  happy  home.  The  teacher  who  ignores  these  things 
will  invite  failure. 

SOME  LAWS  OF  SUCCESSFUL  TEACHING 
.    Several  laws  of  teaching  religion  now  become  apparent. 

1.  Present  a  new  truth  in  terms  of  a  group  of  ideas  already  clearly 
understood. 

2.  Link  up  religious  truths  and  motives  with  the  dominant  instincts 
or  centers  of  interest. 

3.  Aim  to  bring  the  instincts  under  the  control  of  great  ideas  and 
ideals. 

4.  Relate  all  truth  to  conduct  and  all  conduct  to  the  most  funda- 
mental of  all  motives,  love  to  God  and  love  to  one's  fellow  men  through 
a  personal  affection  for  Jesus  Christ. 

Jesus  was  always  doing  these  four  things : 

1.  The  parables  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  the  Lost  Coin,  and  the  Prodigal 
Son  are  all  examples  of  apperception;  as  also  is  the  talk  between 
Jesus  and  the  woman  of  Samaria. 

2.  In  connection  with  the  instinct  of  self-preservation  Jesus  sets 
forth  a  very  striking  law  of  discipleship.  IVlark  8  :  31-38.  The  teach- 
ing of  Jesus  is  that  to  use  this  instinct  for  material  ends  only  is  to 
defeat  its  purpose.  This  is  one  of  the  deepest  reHgious  truths  and 
affects  vitally  all  faith  and  conduct.  Study  carefully  Matt.  6 :  19-21; 
Luke  12  :  13-34;   Matt.  6 :  25-33;   13  :  44,  45. 

3.  The  passion  to  seek  and  hoard  wealth  is  instinctive  and  leads  to 
much  evil;  yet  Jesus  would  not  eradicate  but  transform  it.  Matt. 
6:19-33.  Children  should  be  taught  thrift  along  with  the  joy  of 
giving. 

4.  In  Matt.,  ch.  5;  John,  chs.  14,  15;  Rom.,  ch.  12;  Eph.,  4:  1 
to  5:2;  and  I  Cor.,  ch.  13,  we  have  perfect  examples  of  how  both 
Jesus  and  the  Apostle  Paul  presented  great  truths  and  then  translated 
them  into  conduct  and  character  by  interpreting  them  in  terms  of 
Christ's  great  love. 

30 


THE  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  said  that  the  teaching  task  of  the  Church 
is  to  nurture  and  develop  the  higher  ethical  and  religious  motives 
unconsciously  present  in  the  fundamental  instincts  until  they  habit- 
ually express  themselves  in  Christian  conduct. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  spiritual  insight  and  devotion  to 
the  teaching  task.     Eph.  3  :  14-21. 

TEST  QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

Describe  the  four  primary  elements  of  experience. 

What  is  apperception? 

What  do  you  know  about  the  instincts  in  relation  to  teaching? 

What  laws  of  teaching  are  derived  from  this  study? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

What  are  some  dominant  centers  of  interest  in  each  department  of 
the  Sunday  school? 

Which  are  the  stronger,  natural  or  acquired  centers  of  interest? 
How  can  the  play  instinct  be  utilized  for  religious  education? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Matt.  6  :  19-33;  Mark  8  :  31-38;  Luke  12  :  13-34;  Rom. 
12  :  1  to  13  :  10;  Eph.  4  :  1  to  5  :  2;  I  Cor.,  ch.  13. 

HoRNE. — ''Psvchological  Principles  of  Education."  Chs.  VII, 
IX,  X,  XXII,  XXIII. 

Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."     Chs.  IV,  VII. 

Steven.— "The  Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul."     Chs.  Ill,  IV. 

Bagley.— "The  Educative  Process."     Ch.  IV. 

KiRKPATRiCK.—" Fundamentals  of  Child  Study."     Chs.  IV-XIIIc 

Marquis. — "Learning  to  Teach  from  the  Master  Teacher." 


31 


STUDY  VI 
THE  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

CONCEPTS,  JUDGMENTS,  AND  IDEALS 

One  of  the  most  important  and  difficult  tasks  for  the  teacher  of 
rehgion  is  to  get  each  pupil  to  form  concepts  and  ideals,  and  then  to 
express  them  in  judgments  that  will  lead  to  right  choices  and  actions. 

CONCEPTS 

1.  The  Process. — Ideas  or  experiences  are  condensed  into  one 
general  idea  or  truth  which  is  called  a  concept.  After  the  experiences  of 
hunger  and  of  eating  many  different  things  the  child  gets  the  general 
concept  of  food.  This  is  thinking  from  the  particular  to  the  general. 
At  first  the  child  thinks  the  concept  "food"  in  terms  of  something  it 
ate  and  liked,  then  it  comes  to  think  the  word  "food"  as  a  symbol  of 
all  things  which  nourish  the  physical  Hfe.  This  is  thinking  from  the 
concrete  to  the  abstract. 

In  the  same  way  a  child  experiences  the  kind  ministries  of  mother 
and  of  others.  The  response  to  these  awakens  affection  in  the  child's 
heart  and  Uttle  by  little  he  puts  all  together  and  gets  the  idea  or  con- 
cept, "love."  But  there  is  one  set  of  daily  attentions  just  a  Uttle 
different  from  all  others  and  these  lead  at  last  to  the  conception  of 
"mother  love,"  and  "mother."  As  life  experience  deepens  and  the 
mind  grows,  we  arrive  at  last  at  a  clear  conception  of  the  divine  love. 

2.  Reasoning. — The  process  by  which  the  mind  sees  the  relation 
between  ideas  and  experiences  and  reaches  a  conclusion  or  a  concept 
is  called  reasoning.  Few  people  engage  in  absolutely  pure  reasoning, 
certainly  not  before  about  eighteen  years  of  age.  Children  usually 
reason  their  way  to  a  conclusion  through  trial  and  error,  or  through 
experience,  either  pleasant  or  unpleasant.  They  reason  about  as 
follows:  A  child  puts  his  finger  on  the  stove  and  is  burned;  he  notes 
that  the  stove  has  fire  in  it.  He  touches  a  red-hot  poker  and  is  burned; 
he  observes  that  the  poker  has  been  in  the  fire.  He  puts  his  finger  near 
the  fire  and  is  burned.    Therefore  he  reaches  the  general  conclusion 

32 


THE  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

that  fire  burns.  At  about  eighteen  years  of  age  the  logical  faculties 
begin  to  develop  and  young  people  soon  learn  to  reason  abstractly. 
In  all  such  reasoning  there  must  be  a  starting  point  or  major  premise, 
usually  some  great  truth  or  general  fact,  then  some  particular  fact  or 
statement  related  to  it  which  is  called  the  minor  premise.  This  leads 
to  a  conclusion.    The  simplest  form  of  such  reasoning  is  as  follows: 

All  men  must  die.    (Major  premise  or  starting  point.) 

John  is  a  man.    (Minor  premise  or  connecting  link.) 

Therefore  John  must  die.    (Conclusion.) 

If  the  starting  point  is  true  and  the  connecting  link  true,  the  conclu- 
sion must  be  true.  Sometimes  there  is  more  than  one  connecting  link 
and  so  there  will  be  more  than  one  conclusion.  A  good  example  of 
this  is  found  in  II  Cor.  5 :  14-17.    It  may  be  stated  as  follows: 

Christ  died  for  all. 

Therefore  all  died,  that  is,  they  are  spiritually  dead  because  of  sin. 

Christ  not  only  died  for  men  but  rose  again  that  all  who  beHeve  in 
him  might  live.    (Two  conclusions  follow.) 

Therefore  our  relation  is  not  to  a  Christ  in  the  flesh  or  to  a  dead 
Christ,  but  to  a  risen  and  living  Christ.    V.  16. 

Therefore  if  any  man  is  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature.     V.  17. 

This  last  conclusion  may  become  the  starting  point  for  another 
conclusion  as  follows: 

If  any  man  is  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  and  will  have  eternal 
life. 

A  man  is  "in  Christ"  when  he  beUeves  on  him  and  confesses  him 
before  men. 

John  has  confessed  his  faith  in  Christ. 

Therefore  John  is  a  new  creature  in  Christ. 

Therefore  John  will  have  eternal  life. 

The  following  are  good  examples  of  reasoning.  We  would  suggest 
that  the  members  of  the  class  study  them.    I  Cor.  15 :  12-22,  35-49. 

JUDGMENTS 

1.  Moral  Judgments. — When  a  boy  must  decide  between  two  or 

more  possible  alternatives,  his  conclusion  is  called  a  judgment.     A 

boy  may  come  to  a  place  where  the  road  forks.    After  comparing  and 

considering  all  the-  facts  he  decides  to  take  one  of  the  three  roads: 

33 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

his  decision  is  a  judgment.  If  the  decision  involves  the  question  of 
right  or  wrong  action  or  conduct,  it  becomes  a  moral  judgment.  All 
moral  judgments  should  lead  to  right  conduct  and  all  children  should 
be  trained  to  form  their  own  judgments.  A  good  example  of  teaching 
a  person  to  form  a  correct  moral  judgment  is  found  in  the  story  of  the 
Good  Samaritan.    Luke  10 :  25-37. 

2.  Ready-Made  Judgments. — As  the  reasoning  powers  do  not 
develop  until  the  person  is  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  the  teacher 
must  advance  what  some  educators  have  called  ready-made  judg- 
ments, thus  supplementing  the  child's  experience,  but  always  helping 
him  to  think  and  act  for  himself.  The  Commandments,  "Thou  shalt 
not  steal,"  "Thou  shalt  not  covet,"  and  many  other  Bible  precepts 
and  stories,  are  moral  guideposts  leading  us  to  Christ  by  whose  life 
we  are  to  determine  our  conduct. 

3.  Immediate  and  Remote  Judgments. — In  forming  a  judgment 
leading  to  conduct  we  must  always  consider  what  wiU  be  the  result 
of  the  action.  In  so  doing  we  are  apt  to  be  misled  by  thinking  only 
of  some  immediate  end  when  we  should  consider  the  higher  value  of 
a  more  remote  end.  "What  doth  it  profit  a  man,  to  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  forfeit  his  life?"  Mark  8 :  36.  Suppose  a  boy  is  tempted 
to  smoke  a  cigarette  because  he  thinks  it  will  make  him  a  man.  The 
teacher  must  advance  the  concept  of  true  manliness.  The  boy  may 
act  according  to  several  judgments  and  motives.  He  may  judge  that 
if  he  smokes  he  will  be  punished,  or  that  if  he  does  not  smoke  he  will 
get  a  box  of  candy.  In  either  case  his  judgment  is  shortsighted,  and 
he  acts  on  account  of  an  immediate  end,  pain  or  pleasure.  But  if  he 
grasps  the  meaning  of  true  manHness  and  judges  that,  for  the  sake  of 
being  a  true,  healthy  man  twenty  years  hence,  he  will  forego  the 
cigarette  now,  he  has  formed  a  true  judgment  and  brings  his  conduct 
under  the  control  of  remote  ends.  This  is  the  highest  type  of  moraHty. 
To  train  boys  and  girls  to  form  correct  moral  judgments  and  to  bring 
their  conduct  under  the  control  of  remote  ends  is  the  true  aim  of 
teaching.  Jesus  was  constantly  doing  this.  Read  Matt.  5 :  43  to 
6:21;  Luke  14:  7-14;   16:19-31;  John  7:  14-24;   19:16-30. 

4.  Conscience  and  the  Judgment  of  Others. — In  addition  to  the 
judgments  which  lead  to  conduct,  there  is  another,  a  higher  kind  of 
judgment,  which  determines  the  right  or  wrong  of  the  action,  its  moral 

34 


THE  MENTAL  BASIS  OF  TEACHING 

value,  and  the  reward  or  penalty  which  should  follow.  Our  conscience 
compels  us  to  form  this  judgment  concerning  our  own  conduct. 
Teachers  should  therefore  seek  to  develop  in  each  child  a  tender, 
sensitive  conscience,  illuminated  by  the  standards  and  ideals  of  Jesus. 
Only  so  can  our  conscience  become  a  safe  guide. 

It  is  a  difficult  and  a  dangerous  thing  to  pass  judgment  upon  the 
conduct  of  others  for  two  reasons:  We  cannot  always  determine  the 
motives  which  prompted  the  action  and  so  may  judge  wrongly  and 
harshly;  again,  any  judgment  we  pronounce  upon  another  we  must 
of  necessity  pronounce  upon  ourselves,  for  he  who  breaks  one  of  the 
least  of  the  Commandments  breaks  all.  We  are  all  in  some  way 
offenders;  therefore,  "Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged."  Matt. 
7 :  1-5.  Every  boy  and  girl  should  be  taught,  however,  that  there  is 
a  final  judgment,  before  God  who  judges  righteously,  from  which  no 
one  can  escape.  This  judgment  God  has  given  over  to  his  Son,  Jesus 
Christ.    Matt.  25  :  31-46;  II  Cor.  5  :  10. 

IDEALS 

It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  the  greatest  force  in  religious 
education  is  the  power  of  the  ideal.  Intimations  of  the  ideal  are  found 
in  the  deeper  instincts,  which  become  more  clearly  defined  when 
merged  with  great  ideas — as  love  of  country  and  the  ideal  of  patriot- 
ism. Through  the  altruistic  impulses  the  social  ideal  takes  form. 
The  hunger  of  the  soul  for  intimate  companionship,  when  mingled 
with  the  finer  sentiments,  gives  birth  to  the  ideal  of  friendship  and 
an  ideal  friend. 

The  moral  and  religious  ideal  is  formed  through  the  fusion  of 
ideas  with  the  finer  emotions  and  sentiments.  A  rehgious  truth  apart 
from  the  awakening  of  the  proper  emotions  is  simply  an  intellectual 
proposition  with  Httle  power  to  grip  the  soul  and  lift  it  God  ward. 
A  teacher  who  is  inspired  by  a  great  ideal  is  most  likely  to  awaken 
that  ideal  in  others. 

Boys  and  girls  from  nine  to  twelve  have  some  ideals,  but  the 
higher  ideals,  which  control  Hfe,  spring  into  being  newborn  during 
the  adolescent  period.  Here  the  idealism  of  youth  is  the  teacher's 
great  opportunity.  Two  facts  about  ideals  should  be  kept  in  mind  by 
the  teacher  :    (a)  Ideals  develop  from  the  lower  to  the  higher,     (b) 

35 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

All  people  seek  their  ideals  in  persons.  A  boy  who  likes  to  fight  has 
an  ideal  of  physical  strength,  a  prize  fighter,  a  hero.  Later  on  his 
hero  becomes  a  general,  or  one  who  fights  for  a  noble  cause.  The 
prize  fighter  is  dropped  for  Washington,  and  then  the  boy,  if  rightly 
taught,  will  see  in  Christ  a  heroism  transcending  all.  In  the  same 
way  the  ideals  of  girls  grow.  The  abstract  ideals  of  honor,  patriotism, 
goodness,  obedience,  love,  and  power,  as  w^ell  as  all  others,  become  far 
more  effective  when  presented  in  the  Uves  of  people.  The  characters 
of  the  Bible  abound  in  opportunities  of  this  kind. 

In  Christ  men  behold  the  supreme  Ideal.  He  is  the  moral  Ideal, 
the  perfect  Man,  the  true  King.  In  his  KLingdom  the  social  ideal 
finds  expression.  He  is  the  ideal  Friend,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  the  one 
true  Saviour  of  men,  the  only  adequate  Revelation  of  God.  All  re- 
Hgious  education  should  center  around  this  great  fact,  the  coming 
into  the  soul  of  Jesus  as  life's  supreme  Ideal. 

Devotional  Thought. — The  ideal  of  Jesus.  John  4  :  34.  Prayer 
that  the  aim  and  ideal  of  Jesus  may  be  that  of  every  teacher. 

QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

What  is  a  concept?  What  are  some  concepts  which  we  must  form 
if  we  think  at  all? 

Why  should  we  teach  children  to  form  judgments? 
How  do  we  get  ideals  and  what  is  their  chief  value? 
In  what  way  is  Jesus  the  supreme  Ideal? 

QUESTION  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 
What  is  the  most  potent  force  in  shaping  character  and  conduct? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— I  Kings  19  :  1-16;  II  Sam.  12  :  1-14;  Matt.,  chs.  22-24; 
Luke,  ch.  10;   Phil,  chs.  2,  3. 

Steven.— "The  Psychology  of  the  Christian  Soul."  Chs.  IV,  V, 
VII. 

HoRNE. — "The  Psychological  Principles  of  Education."  Chs.  XII, 
XIII,  XXIX,  XXX. 

Bagley.— "The  Educative  Process."     Chs.  VIII,  IX,  XIV. 


36 


STUDY  VII 

ATTENTION  AND  INTEREST  AS  FACTORS  IN  TEACHING 

In  Study  II  it  was  pointed  out  that,  by  fixing  attention  upon  an 
object  until  it  awakens  desire,  man  commits  sin.  Escape  from  sin 
is  turning  the  attention  away  to  Christ  until  affection  for  him  controls 
the  will  for  the  highest  and  noblest  ends.  In  terms  of  attention.  Chris- 
tian education  may  be  defined  as  that  art  of  the  teacher  by  which  the 
mind  of  the  pupil  is  fixed  upon  Christ  until  reverence  and  love  for 
him  become  the  controlling  motive  of  Hfe.  The  superintendent  or 
teacher  who  permits  children  to  become  inattentive  and  hence  irrev- 
erent toward  spiritual  truth  in  the  classroom  is  developing  a  subtle 
kind  of  immorahty.  The  student  should  read  again  Gen.  3  :  1-20; 
Num.  21  :  5-9;  Matt.  22:37;  John  3  :  14;  12  :  20-32;  Rom.  7  :  7 
to  8:  3;  Col.  3  :  1^;  Phil.,  ch.  3. 

FOUR  KINDS  OF  ATTENTION 

Attention  as  a  factor  in  religious  education  is  not  a  thing  of  a  few 
minutes  or  even  hours,  but  a  fundamental  attitude  of  mind  and  will. 
As  such,  it  has  four  aspects  :  spontaneous,  voluntary,  habitual,  and 
affectional. 

1.  Spontaneous  Attention. — This  arises  out  of  the  native  instincts 
and  their  desires.  Children  are  naturally  interested  in  things  they 
want  to  do  and  can  do  and  which  satisfy  some  immediate  need  of  Hfe. 
This  calls  for  little  or  no  effort  of  the  will  and  is  often  called  passive 
or  involuntary  attention. 

2.  Voluntary  Attention.— This  arises  from  the  fixing  of  the  attention 
upon  an  object  or  idea  until  its  meaning  and  associations  are  learned. 
Thus  Httle  by  httle  there  are  built  up  apperceiving  groups  of  ideas  or 
acquired  centers  of  interest.  This  requires  a  conscious  act  of  the  will 
on  the  part  of  the  pupil,  and  often  calls  for  sheer  effort  until  the  mind 
perceives  the  meaning  and  value  of  the  truth  presented.  When 
mental  and  moral  discipline  is  involved,  the  power  of  sustained  atten- 

37 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

tion  is  even  more  necessary  until  we  like  to  do  the  things  we  formerly 
disliked  and  until  duty  becomes  a  privilege. 

3.  Habitual  Attention. — With  the  passing  over  of  instincts  and  ac- 
quired interests  into  habits  of  right  thinking  and  fixed  tendencies  to 
behavior,  attention  to  certain  things  becomes  at  least  partly  habitual 
and  passive.  There  is  the  habit  of  reading  the  daily  paper  each  morn- 
ing before  breakfast,  also  the  habit  of  preparing  one's  school  lessons 
at  a  certain  time  each  day.  In  the  same  way  we  give  attention  to  the 
pubHc  worship  each  Sunday,  to  family  prayers,  daily  Bible  study,  and 
to  private  prayer  Hfe. 

4.  Affectional  Attention. — All  children  and  grown  people  have  a 
strong  tendency  to  listen  to  teachers  whom  they  respect  and  love. 
Especially  is  this  true  where  the  teacher  is  in  any  sense  the  embodi- 
ment of  the  ideal.  Such  people  instinctively  command  the  attention 
of  the  class.  This  deeper  charm  of  personality  in  some  teachers  wins 
unconsciously  the  attention  which  others  use  all  kinds  of  artificial 
devices  to  gain.  In  this  way  it  is  possible  to  create  respect  and  affec- 
tion for  God's  Word,  and  above  all  for  Him  who  is  the  beautiful  and 
winsome  embodiment  of  truth.  When  this  has  been  attained,  the 
problem  of  attention  has  been  mastered. 

PERIODS  OF  ATTENTION 

The  following  outline  indicates  the  periods:  during  which  certain 
types  of  attention  are  dominant,  the  others  being  present  in  lesser 
degree. 

One  to  Eight  Years. — Spontaneous  attention.  Interest  in  what 
satisfies  immediate  ends.  At  about  six  years  of  age,  conscious  effort 
begins  to  develop.  Sustained  attention  is  possible  for  not  more  than 
eight  minutes.  Affectional  attention  depends  in  each  period  upon  the 
personality  of  the  teacher. 

Nine  to  Twelve  Years. — Voluntaiy  attention.  The  will  should  now 
be  trained  to  sustained  effort.  Acquired  interests  now  appear  to  aid 
attention. 

Twelve  to  Eighteen  Years. — Spontaneous  attention  again  dominates 
but  on  the  higher  plane  of  new  instincts,  impulses,  ideals,  and  life 
interests. 

Eighteen  to  Twenty-Four  Years. — Voluntary  attention.     Here  the 

38 


ATTENTION  AND  INTEREST  AS  FACTORS  IN  TEACHING 

teacher  must  strive  for  sustained  attention  until  new  thought  centers 
are  organized  and  life  is  readjusted.  Afifectional  attention  is  an  in- 
creasingly large  factor  in  teaching. 

Twenty-Four  Years  and  Up. — Life  interests  are  factors  in  securing 
attention.  The  capacity  for  sustained  attention  is  also  strong  and 
there  are  many  acquired  interests.  Habitual  attention  is  well  de- 
veloped. There  is  the  habit  of  reading  the  morning  paper  and  it  is 
equally  easy  to  develop  the  habit  of  giving  attention  to  morning 
prayers. 

HINDRANCES  TO  ATTENTION 

Attention  can  be  so  easily  distracted  that  it  is  best  to  think  first  of 
the  hindrances. 

1.  Outside  stimuli,  the  close  proximity  of  classes,  interruptions 
from  ofi&cers,  the  eccentricities  of  dress,  speech,  or  manner  on  the  part 
of  the  teacher. 

2.  Physical  discomfort  from  seats,  clothing,  heat  or  cold,  bad  venti- 
lation, lack  of  nourishment,  deafness,  bad  eyesight,  nervous  disorders, 
and  retardation. 

3.  Tardy,  irreverent,  inattentive  teachers  and  pupils  during  the 
opening  worship,  or  lack  of  a  worshipful  atmosphere  in  the  school. 

4.  Appeal  to  motives  which  weaken  the  powers  of  voluntary  and 
sustained  attention,  such  as  emulation,  rewards,  and  so  forth.  They 
may  be  used  with  extreme  caution.  Jesus  held  up  to  scorn  the  Pharisee 
who  was  good  simply  that  he  might  be  held  in  honor  by  men.  He 
called  him  an  actor,  or  hypocrite.  At  the  same  time  Christ  says  that 
goodness  has  its  own  reward,  the  approval  of  God  and  the  gift  of 
eternal  life.  Matt.  6 :  1-6.  Nothing  is  more  wholesome  than  a  just 
recognition  of  work  well  done.  It  is  well  to  safeguard  the  giving  of 
rewards  by  constantly  teaching  that  truth,  goodness,  and  love  carry 
with  them  their  own  reward. 

5.  Using  objects,  or  artificial  devices,  or  even  illustrations  that 
distract  attention  from  spiritual  truth.  A  minister  once  tried  to 
illustrate  a  truth  to  some  children  by  the  use  of  a  folding  umbrella. 
The  novelty  of  the  object,  together  with  the  fact  that  it  did  not  work 
well,  greatly  amused  and  interested  the  children  but  destroyed  the 
value  of  the  truth  taught. 

39 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

METHODS  FOR  SECURING  AND  BUILDING  UP 
ATTENTION 

Five  general  principles  will  be  helpful  to  the  teacher: 
L  Preparation. — (a)  The  preparation  of  the  classroom  with  the 
teacher  on  time,  (b)  The  preparation  of  the  class  through  the  proper 
assignment  of  the  lesson,  (c)  The  preparation  of  the  school  by  the 
superintendent  through  prompt  attendance  and  a  strong,  worshipful 
opening  service.  The  reHgious  emotions  must  be  stirred  and  an 
orderly,  reverent  atmosphere  created  at  the  beginning,  (d)  The 
preparation  of  the  mind  of  each  pupil  at  the  beginning  of  the  lesson, 
by  finding  the  point  of  contact,  challenging  the  mind  with  a  vital 
question,  Hnking  up  truth  with  spontaneous  or  acquired  interests. 

2.  Progression. — If  the  mind  were  to  focus  itself  steadily  upon  a 
single  black  spot,  unconsciousness  would  soon  result,  unless  the  atten- 
tion were  transferred  to  some  other  object  or  to  some  new  and  chang- 
ing aspect  of  the  same  object.  A  teacher  can  easily  determine  the 
truth  of  this  statement  by  a  simple  experiment.  Attention  depends 
upon  movement  and  development.  A  story  the  natural  movement  of 
which  is  clogged  by  unrelated  material  or  by  useless  digressions  soon 
loses  its  interest  and  attention  lags.  The  teacher  who  presents  the 
aim  of  the  lesson  in  a  simple,  concrete  way,  and  then  step  by  step 
moves  toward  the  goal,  will  command  attention.  In  the  same  way 
each  lesson  should  be  so  related,  by  progressive  development,  to  the 
next  lesson  that  it  will  stimulate  interest  in  what  is  coming. 

3.  Apperception. — Attention  is  the  mind's  seeking  to  know  the 
meaning,  the  value,  and  the  relationships  of  the  truth  presented.  The 
teacher  should  first  associate  the  truth  with  that  group  of  ideas  or 
experiences  which  will  give  the  pupil  an  immediate  clue  to  its  meaning. 
Attention  is  dependent  upon  apperception  and  the  presence  in  the 
mind  of  appercei\'ing  groups  of  ideas. 

4.  Presentation. — Children  will  always  listen  to  a  good  story  with 
the  proper  amount  of  action  and  movement.  Discussion  where  the 
class  participates  in  the  unfolding  of  truth  aids  attention.  Illustra- 
tions are  a  fresh  challenge  to  attention  because  they  make  clear  the 
meaning  and  value  of  truth.  This  is  the  fascinating  power  of  the 
parable  as  used  by  Jesus. 

5.  Personality. — The  power  of  personaHty  as  a  factor  in  securing 

40 


ATTENTION  AND  INTEREST  AS  FACTORS  IN  TEACHING 

attention  has  already  been  alluded  to  under  the  idea  of  ''afifectional 
attention."  When  Jesus  taught  the  people  through  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  he  was  httle  known,  yet  they  listened  to  him  with  astonish- 
ment and  rapt  attention.  He  taught  them  as  one  who  had  the  author- 
ity of  an  inward  experience  of  the  truth  he  taught.  He  was  no  mere 
scribe,  no  reteller  of  truth,  but  a  Teacher  whose  soul  was  on  fire  with 
love  and  enthusiasm,  and  who  believed  in  the  power  of  truth  because 
of  its  relations  to  his  own  soul.  Teachers  can  possess  these  quali- 
ties if  they  really  want  to  keep  close  to  Christ. 

Devotional  Thought. — What  was  the  secret  of  the  power  of  Jesus  to 
command  attention?    Can  teachers  have  that  power?    Matt.  7  :  29. 

QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

How  is  attention  related  to  the  making  of  Christian  character? 
Describe  the  different  kinds  of  attention. 
What  are  the  real  hindrances  to  attention? 
Describe  the  five  principles  for  securing  attention. 

SUBJECTS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

How  does  the  problem  of  attention  differ  with  the  age  of  the  pupil? 
Determine  by  experiment. 

How  can  a  restless,  inattentive  child  be  developed  into  an  attentive 
student? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Gen.  3  : 1-20;  Num.  21  :  5-9;  Matt.  22  :  37;  John  3  :  14; 
12  :  20-32;  Rom.  7  :  7  to  8  :  3;  Col.  3  :  1-i;  Phil.,  ch.  3. 

HoRNE.—" Psychological  Principles  of  Education."     Ch.  XXVIII. 

Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."     Chs.  XVI,  XVII. 

James.— "Talks  to  Teachers."     Ch.  XL 

Pyle. — "Outlines  of  Educational  Psychology."  Chapter  on  At- 
tention. 


41 


STUDY  VIII 

METHODS  OF  PRESENTING  THE  TRUTH 

In  transmitting  the  lesson  from  the  mind  of  the  teacher  to  the  minds 
of  the  pupils  certain  forms  and  methods  have  grown  up  as  the  result 
of  long  experience.  In  his  book,  ''The  Educative  Process,"  Professor 
Bagley  has  a  suggestive  classification  which  the  author  has  changed 
sUghtly  and  adapted  to  the  purpose  of  this  lesson. 

1.  Intellectual  Transmission. 

a.  Language. 

(1)  Oral  Discourses,     (a)  Questions  and  Answers,     (b) 
Discussions,     (c)  Lectures,     (d)  Memory  Work. 

(2)  Books,     (a)  Textbooks,     (b)  Reference  Books,     (c) 
Source  Books. 

b.  Graphic  Representation. 

(1)  Models.     (2)  Pictures.     (3)  Maps.     (4)  Diagrams. 

2.  Emotional  Transmission. 

a.  Language. 

(1)  Oral  Discourse,     (a)  Story,     (b)  Oratory  or  Preach- 
ing,    (c)  Music  and  Hymns,     (d)  Memory  Work. 

(2)  Books,     (a)  Literature  as  in  the  Bible,     (b)  Hymn 
Books. 

b.  Graphic  Representation. 

(1)  Pictorial  Art.  (2)  Plastic  Art.  (3)  Church  Archi- 
tecture. 
Intellectual  Transmission  and  Emotional  Transmission. — This  two- 
fold division  brings  out  sharply  tw^o  possible  uses  of  the  Bible  in  the 
pulpit  and  the  classroom.  Intellectual  transmission  seeks  to  impart 
knowledge  through  the  orderly  building  up  of  fact  upon  fact,  gained 
from  a  common  observation  and  comparison.  It  appeals  to  the  un- 
derstanding. Emotional  transmission  seeks  to  impart  truth  as  a  whole 
through  the  direct  appeal  to  the  finer  emotions  and  imagination.  It 
is  the  medium  of  vision,  revelation,  and  inspiration,  without  w^hich 
religious  instruction  is  impossible. 

42 


METHODS  OF  PRESENTING  THE  TRUTH 

Language. — Words  are  symbols  which  represent  ideas.  The  con- 
crete noun,  food,  represents  a  large  number  of  experiences  with  dif- 
ferent things  to  eat.  Without  this  experience  the  word  would  mean 
nothing.  Abstract  nouns,  such  as  virtue  or  honor,  represent  a  still 
wider  experience.  Teachers  should  use  extreme  care  that  they  do  not 
use  words  which  convey  no  meaning  or,  worse  yet,  a  wrong  meaning. 
Read  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and  determine  the  large  number  of 
one-syllable,  concrete  nouns. 

Oral  Discourse:  The  Story. — This  was  undoubtedly  the  first 
method  of  transmitting  truth.  It  is  the  best  method  to  use  with 
little  children,  but  can  be  used  effectively  above  the  Primary  grade, 
especially  in  combination  with  other  methods.  Narrative  is  history 
in  story  form,  as  in  the  book  of  Genesis. 

The  following  are  some  essentials  of  an  effective  story:  Be  brief; 
ehminate  irrelevant  details  that  clog  the  movement;  have  a  plot,  or 
purpose,  with  unity  and  action,  a  climax,  and  a  genuine  ending.  A 
story  should  be  made  up  of  human,  interesting  facts,  and  deeds  which 
reveal  their  own  meaning  and  moral.  Let  the  characters  speak,  using 
direct  discourse.  Tell  the  story  with  enthusiasm  and  action,  but  do 
not  overdo.  Apply  these  suggestions  to  Nathan's  story  of  the  lamb 
and  the  stories  of  the  Good  Samaritan  and  the  Prodigal  Son  as  told 
by  Jesus.  In  using  this  method  with  children,  always  have  them 
retell  the  story. 

Little  children  should  be  grouped  in  a  circle  and  the  teacher  seated 
with  them.  If  the  circle  is  large  there  should  be  an  assistant  or  helper 
who  will  look  after  the  comfort  and  seating  of  the  children.  If  one  of 
the  children  grows  restless,  the  teacher  may  direct  her  attention  to 
the  child  as  the  story  proceeds  without  stopping  to  correct  unless  it 
be  absolutely  necessary.  After  the  story  has  been  told,  pictures  may 
be  produced  and  the  children  asked  to  retell  the  story  with  the  picture 
before  them.    In  review  use  the  Picture  Roll  if  possible. 

The  very  best  way  for  teachers  to  learn  how  to  tell  stories  is  to  form 
a  story  circle.  Each  teacher's  story  should  be  followed  by  helpful  and 
constructive  criticism. 

The  Question  and  Answer  Method. — This  method  is  especially 
valuable  in  teaching  children  from  nine  to  twelve  years.  In  the  teen- 
age period  it  should  involve  more  discussion,  but  there  is  never  an  age 

43 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

when  a  vital  question  will  not  stimulate  the  teaching.  Questions  may 
be  asked  for  the  following  purposes:  (1)  To  challenge  the  mind  and 
make  the  class  think.  (2)  To  bring  out  the  essential  facts  of  the 
lesson.  (3)  To  direct  the  class  in  forming  proper  judgments  regarding 
these  facts.  (4)  To  search  the  heart  and  conscience.  (5)  To  quicken 
the  will  to  action.  These  principles  should  be  tested  by  a  study  o^ 
Matt.  16  :  13-20;  Luke  10  :  25-37;  14  :  1-6;  John  21  :  1-18. 

Questions  should  be  definite  and  should  admit  of  but  one  answer. 
Do  not  ask  questions  that  can  be  answered  by  "yes"  or  "no"  except 
where  the  answer  clearly  involves  a  thoughtful  judgment.  Never 
permit  mere  guessing.  Questions  so  framed  that  they  imply  the  an- 
swer have  Uttle  educative  value.  Challenge  the  whole  class  with 
the  question,  then  ask  an  individual  for  the  answer.  Questions 
should  be  carefully  worded  and  logically  arranged  so  that  the  answer 
to  one  will  suggest  the  next  question  and  lead  to  a  final  conclusion. 

The  following  questions  are  based  upon  the  parable  of  the  Prodigal 
Son.  Luke  15:  11-32.  They  fail  to  fulfill  requirements  set  forth  in 
the  preceding  paragraph.  Examine  them  carefully  and  point  out  the 
deficiency  in  each  one. 

"What  do  you  think  was  the  far  country  to  which  the  younger  son 
took  his  journey?" 

"When  the  famine  arose  in  the  country,  was  the  young  man 
hungry?" 

"John,  do  you  think  this  young  man  did  wrong  when  he  spent  his 
money  in  riotous  living?"  (There  are  two  things  wrong  with  this 
question.) 

Discussion. — It  is  well  to  vary  this  method  from  time  to  tim.e  by 
the  introduction  of  an  illustration  or  discussion  on  the  part  of  the 
class.  Sometimes  the  question  can  be  so  framed  as  to  provoke  dis- 
cussion, in  which  case  the  teacher  should  guide  it  carefully  in  order 
that  it  may  not  become  frivolous.  In  deahng  with  young  people  over 
fourteen  years  of  age,  topics  for  discussion  may  be  assigned  to  differ- 
ent members  of  the  class. 

The  Lecture  Method. — Under  this  method  may  be  grouped  the 
classroom  lecture,  the  sermon,  and  a  running  comment  on  the  different 
verses  of  the  text.  It  enables  the  teacher  to  present  a  truth  in  a  brief 
time  and  with  the  fullest  expression  of  a  rich  personality. 

44 


METHODS  OF  PRESENTING  THE  TRUTH 

Graphic  Representation.— By  the  use  of  models,  pictures,  maps,  and 
diagrams  the  teacher  gains  an  additional  avenue  of  approach  to  the 
mind  through  the  eye,  thus  stimulating  attention  and  deepening  the 
impression. 

Memory  Work.— As  a  medium  of  instruction  memory  work  should 
have  a  large  place  in  the  Sunday  school,  especially  during  the  years 
from  eight  to  fourteen.  There  should  be  a  carefully  graded  course  in 
memory  work.  (The  Presbyterian  Board  prints  such  a  course,  en- 
titled, "First  Things."     Price,  two  cents.) 

(1)  Memory  work  as  a  guide  to  experience  and  conduct.  This  is 
involved  in  commands,  proverbs,  and  precepts. 

(2)  Memory  work  as  an  interpretation  of  experience.  Here  the 
knowledge  and  experience  of  the  young  child  is  gathered  up  and  ex- 
pressed for  it  in  a  Bible  verse  or  precept.  For  instance,  after  teaching 
a  lesson  about  the  love  of  God,  the  whole  thought  is  gathered  up  and 
condensed  into  a  verse  of  Scripture,  as,  ''God  is  love,"  "The  Lord  is 
my  shepherd."  The  old  dictum  that  a  chUd  should  be  made  to 
memorize  only  what  he  fully  understands  is  not  wholly  correct.  The 
expression,  "God  is  love,"  held  in  the  mind,  will  be  filled  with  richer 
content  with  the  passing  years. 

(3)  Memory  work  as  a  medium  for  the  emotional  transmission  of 
truth.  There  is  something  about  the  literary  form,  the  deep  spiritual 
vitaHty,  the  vision  and  the  idealism  of  the  finest  passages  of  Scripture 
and  the  best  church  hymns,  that  makes  them  appeal  to  the  mind  as 
no  other  form  of  instruction  can.  Memorized  in  youth,  they  become 
in  after  years  windows  through  which  the  soul  looks  out  upon  the 
vast  meaning  of  life  and  eternity. 

Assignment  of  Lessons.— The  success  of  any  lesson  will  depend 
upon  its  previous  assignment.  The  following  are  a  few  practical 
suggestions:  (1)  Point  out  the  relation  to  the  previous  lesson.  (2) 
Suggest  something  that  will  arouse  curiosity  to  know  and  study.  (3) 
Anticipate  any  real  difficulties .  and  suggest  help.  (4)  Be  specific  as 
to  just  what  to  study  and  what  not  to  study.  (5)  Assign  to  everyone 
something  in  particular,  as  questions  to  be  answered,  facts  to  be 
looked  up,  topics  to  be  discussed,  and  then  call  for  the  assignment. 
(6)  Do  not  assign  too  much  and  above  all  give  hints  as  to  how  to  study. 

Reviews,  Tests,  and  Examinations.— In  the  hands  of  a  wide-awake 

45 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

teacher  the  review  is  a  most  valuable  part  of  the  teaching.  (1)  Re- 
view the  main  facts  as  previously  presented.  (2)  Present  the  old  facts 
from  a  new  viewpoint.  (3)  So  conduct  the  review  that  it  will  lead  to 
new  and  larger  conclusions.  The  review  may  well  take  the  form  of  an 
oral  or  written  test.  Some  teachers  have  tried  a  regular  quarterly 
examination  with  good  results. 

Devotional  Thought. — The  teachers  should  remember  that  they  are 
the  representatives  of  God.  John  15  :  16;  II  Cor.  5  :  20.  Prayer 
for  grace  to  be  true  to  the  high  calling. 

QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

How  must  we  transmit  religious  truth? 

Which  is  the  best  method  of  teaching  Junior  children,  the  story 
method  or  the  question  and  answer  method?     Why? 
What  are  the  elements  of  a  good  story? 
Give  five  rules  for  asking  questions. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

Could  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  be  taught  in  story  form?  If  so, 
illustrate.     Have  a  story  circle  and  practice  telling  Bible  stories. 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— Matt.  16:13-20;  Luke  10:25-37;  Luke,  ch.  15;  John 
21  :  1-18. 

Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."     Chs.  XIII,  XVIII. 

Bagley.— "The  Educative  Process."     Chs.  XVIII,  XXII. 

St.  John.—"  Stories  and  Story-TeUing."     Ch.  VII. 

Fitch. — "The  Art  of  Questioning." 

Coleman. — The  Christian  Educator,  November  and  December, 
1916. 

Lindsay. — "Mother  Stories." 

Stewart.— "Tell  Me  a  True  Story." 


46 


STUDY  IX 

THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  LESSON 

The  only  way  to  learn  how  to  teach  is  by  teaching.  No  amount  of 
theory  will  take  the  place  of  practice.  The  best  teachers  have  learned 
by  many  failures.  The  unexpected  always  happens  in  the  classroom. 
Resourcefulness  and  the  abiHty  to  adapt  one's  plans  quickly  are  marks 
of  a  good  teacher.  Two  or  three  extra  sessions  of  the  class  for  practice 
teaching  and  observation  will  at  this  time  be  very  helpful. 

THE  TEACHER'S  PREPARATION 

The  success  of  any  lesson  depends  much  upon  the  teacher's  prepara- 
tion. 

1.  Spiritual  Preparation. — (a)  Realize  the  dignity  of  your  task, 
(b)  The  Bible  is  the  "living  word,"  and  will  find  the  soul  when  faith- 
fully presented,  (c)  Be  much  in  prayer  both  for  yourself  and  your 
class,  (d)  Let  the  lesson  truth  find  a  real  place  in  your  own  religious 
experience,  (e)  Seek  the  Holy  Spirit's  guidance,  take  Christ  with  you 
into  the  classroom,  and  expect  results.  Remember  that  every  lesson 
is  a  part  of  the  process  of  salvation.  The  Bible  possesses  a  power  to 
satisfy  the  deepest  needs  of  the  soul.  If  faithfully  and  lovingly  and 
intelHgently  taught,  it  will  bear  fruit  in  some  way.  Every  teacher 
should  read  frequently  the  following  passages:  Isa.,  ch.  55;  Matt., 
ch.  13;  Heb.,  ch.  4. 

2.  Intellectual  Preparation. — The  spiritual  is  a  vital  part  of  the 
intellectual,  (a)  First,  study  the  passage  of  Scripture  in  the  light  of 
the  context,  then  with  the  aid  of  the  lesson  helps,  and  finally  in  rela- 
tion to  the  lessons  for  the  year,  keeping  each  pupil  in  mind,  (b) 
Select  one  main  truth  from  the  Scripture  text  and  subordinate  every- 
thing else  to  it.  Do  not  try  to  teach  too  much,  (c)  Study  the  spirit- 
ual meaning  of  particular  words  and  verses,  (d)  Prepare  the  lesson 
in  its  relations  to  modern  Hfe,  conditions,  and  needs,  and  read  widely 
for  general  enrichment  and  illustration.  If  teachers  would  do  a  little 
original  thinking  and  not  depend  too  much  upon  lesson  helps,  they 

47 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

would  greatly  increase  their  power.     A  carefully  prepared  outline  is 
essential  to  effective  teaching, 

THE  LESSON  UNIT 

A  lesson  unit  is  the  presentation  of  a  single  great  truth  or  theme. 
It  may  be  obedience,  kindness,  friendship,  love,  faith,  heroism,  or, 
God  as  Caretaker,  or,  Jesus  as  Saviour,  The  truth  or  unit  may  be 
presented  in  one.  lesson  or  it  may  require  several  lessons,  A  lesson 
unit  is,  therefore,  one  lesson  or  a  number  of  lessons  grouped  around  the 
presentation  of  a  single  truth,  in  which  latter  case  the  first  lesson  may 
be  only  introductory;  several  lessons  will  be  given  to  developing  the 
theme,  and  a  last  lesson  to  making  application. 

Induction  and  Deduction. — There  are  two  methods  of  developing 
a  lesson:  (a)  The  inductive  method,  which  proceeds  from  particular 
facts  to  general  conclusions,  judgments,  or  principles,  (b)  The  de^ 
ductive  method,  which  proceeds  from  a  stated  principle,  conclusion, 
or  judgment,  to  the  facts  upon  which  it  is  based,  thus  verifying  the 
principle  or  conclusion.  The  inductive  method  is  most  frequently 
used  by  good  teachers,  although  often  it  is  wise  to  use  the  deductive. 
In  actual  practice  the  methods  are  often  combined. 

A  simple  example  may  serve  to  illustrate.  Begin  to  observe  water. 
Note  that  it  will  not  flow  up  hill,  but  that  it  will  rise  as  high  as  its 
source  when  passed  through  a  tube  from  one  vessel  to  another.  Make 
wide  observations  and  experiments  testing  this  fact.  All  tests  seem 
to  indicate  the  same  result ;  therefore  we  reach  the  general  truth  that 
water  will  always  rise  as  high  as  its  source.  This  is  the  inductive 
method.  Reverse  this  method  by  assuming  the  truth  of  the  general 
proposition,  and  then,  by  observation  and  experiment,  proceed  to 
prove  it.     This  is  the  deductive  method. 

PRINCIPLES  OF  PRESENTATION 

No  two  lessons  can  be  developed  exactly  alike,  yet  several  general 
principles  are  common  to  most  lessons.  These  principles  were  first 
formulated  by  Herbart  and  further  developed  by  Ziller,  De  Garmo, 
Adair,  McMurray,  and  others.  They  are  called  the  five  formal  steps 
in  lesson-teaching, 

48 


THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  LESSON 

First  Step  :  Preparation. 

(a)  Assignment  of  lesson 

(b)  Finding  the  point  of  contact 

(c)  Statement  of  the  aim 

Second  Step:  Presentation  >■ 

Third  Step:  Reaction  and  Comparison 

Fourth  Step:   GeneraHzation  and  Judgment 

Fifth  Step:  Application 

These  steps  follow  closely  one  upon  the  other  in  the  teaching 
process.  The  third  and  fourth  steps  are  sometimes  merged.  The 
meaning  of  the  steps  can  best  be  explained  by  giving  a  sample  outline 
of  a  lesson. 

A  LESSON  OUTLINE 

The  class,  boys  twelve  to  fourteen  years  of  age.  The  lesson,  the 
first  chapter  of  Daniel.  The  theme,  Heroism,  or.  How  Three  Young 
Heroes  Stood  Before  a  King. 

Preparation:   Lesson  Assignment 

Teacher:  "What  kind  of  books  do  you  like  to  read?" 

First  boy:   "Adventures." 

Second  boy:  "History." 

Third  boy:   "About  great  heroes." 

Teacher:  "Our  lesson  next  Sunday  will  be  about  three  young  heroes 
who  stood  before  a  king.  You  can  read  about  them  in  the  Book  of 
Daniel.  Let  every  boy  read  the  first  chapter  and  be  prepared  to  tell 
about  the  following  things:  (Give  each  boy  a  slip  with  one  question.) 
What  are  the  names  of  the  heroes?  How  were  they  taken  prisoners? 
What  did  they  have  to  be  in  order  to  stand  before  the  king?  What  did 
one  of  them  refuse  to  do?    What  happened  to  them?" 

Preparation:   Point  of  Contact 
Teacher  (the  next  Sunday):  "In  the  great  war  in  Europe  what  cities 

were  besieged?"     Ans. "What  cities  were  taken?"     Ans. 

"In  our  lesson  what  city  was  besieged?"     Ans.  "What  boys 

were  taken  prisoners?"    Ans. 

49 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Preparation:    The  Statement  of  the  Aim 
Teacher:  "We  are  going  to  study  to-day  about  three  boys  who  stood 
before  a  great  king  because  they  had  the  courage  of  their  convictions. 
What  do  we  call  such  people?"    Answer:  "Heroes." 


Presentation 
The  presentation  of  the  facts  through  a  study  of  the  Bible  text  and 
by  map  work.  Have  one  boy  find  Jerusalem,  another  Babylon. 
Trace  the  probable  route  taken  by  the  prisoners.  Call  for  assign- 
ments as  the  lesson  proceeds  and  use  the  blackboard  in  the  following 
manner: 

Blackboard 


The  Presentation 

Reaction  and  Comparison 

Standing  Before  King 
Nebuchadnezzar 

Standing  Before  Christ  Our 
Great  King 

Conditions.     V.  4 

Conditions 

1.  Without  physical  blemish. 

2.  Well-favored. 

3.  Good  education. 

4.  Knowledge  of  Chaldean. 

1.  A  clean  body.     I  Cor.  6  :  19 

2.  Well-favored.     Luke  2  :  52 

3.  Good  education.     Luke  2  :  52 

4.  Knowledge  of  the  Bible.     HTim. 

3  :  14-17 

The  King's  Food 

1.  Dainties. 

2.  Wine. 

The  Refusal.     Vs.  8-19 
Why?     What  happened? 
What  did  Daniel  have? 

1.  Wisdom. 

2.  Self-restraint. 

3.  The  courage  of  his  convictions. 

The  King's  Food 

1.  Bread  of  life.     John  6  :  51 

2.  The  Living  Water.     John  4  :  10 
The  Acceptance.     John  6  :  34 

Why?    What  will  happen? 
What  does  a  boy  have  whd  confesses 
Christ?    H  Tim.  1  :  7-9 

Reaction  and  Comparison 
Go  over  the  facts  and  get  opinions.     Compare  the  two  lists. 


Generalization  and  Judgment 
A  class  should  be  allowed  to  form  its  own  conclusions.    Were  these 
boys  true  heroes?    If  so,  why? 

50 


THE  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  LESSON 

Application 

What  are  some  of  the  ways  in  which  boys  to-day  must  stand  up  for 
their  convictions?  Answer:  Keeping  the  body  clean,  the  mind 
alert  and  pure,  the  appetite  under  control,  and  being  true  to  Christ. 

Hymns:  "Dare  to  Be  a  Daniel;"     ''Stand  Up,  Stand  Up  for  Jesus." 

Prayer  for  courage. 

This  outHne  may  serve  to  indicate  in  a  general  way  the  steps  taken 
in  teaching  almost  any  lesson.  There  will  always  be  some  lessons 
which  can  be  outHned  only  by  a  general  adaptation  of  the  five  formal 
steps. 

Compare  this  outUne  with  the  lessons  which  Jesus  taught  the  wo- 
man at  the  well,  John  4  :  1-26,  and  the  lawyer,  Luke  10  :  25-37,  and 
also  with  II  Sam.  12  :  1-15  and  Jer.  18  :  1-12. 

Devotional  Thought. — Teachers  should  reveal  the  qualities  they 
hope  to  inspire  in  their  pupils.     II  Cor.  3  :  2. 

Prayer  that  this  grace  may  be  given. 

QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 

What  is  meant  by  a  unit  or  theme  in  teaching? 

Describe  the  difference  between  the  inductive  and  deductive  process. 

What  are  the  five  formal  steps?     Describe  each. 

SUBJECTS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

In  teaching  a  unit  or  theme  which  requires  more  than  one  lesson 
how  should  the  material  be  organized?  Should  all  five  of  the  formal 
steps  be  used  each  Sunday? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible.— II  Sam.  12  :  1-15;  Jer.  18  :  1-12;  Amos,  chs.  1,  2;  John 
4:1-26;  Luke  10:25-37. 
Betts.— "The  Recitation." 
Brown. — "How  to  Plan  a  Lesson."     Ch.  II. 
McMuRRAY.— "The  Method  of  the  Recitation." 
De  Garmo.— "Essentials  of  Method." 
Bagley.— "The  Educative  Process."     Ch.  XIX. 
Weigle.— "The  Teacher."     Ch.  XIV. 


51 


STUDY  X 

THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  TEACHER 

THE  CHALLENGE  OF  THE  SCRIPTURE 

Jesus  challenged  the  teachers  of  his  day  to  find  him  in  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures  but  they  would  not  try.  John  5:  39,  40;  7:  37-44.  He 
taught  his  disciples  to  find  in  the  Scriptures  the  meaning  of  his  death 
and  resurrection,  Luke  24:  13-32,  44-49.  The  sermon  of  Peter  on 
the  Day  of  Pentecost  was  the  result  of  this  instruction.  Acts,  ch.  2. 
Paul  said  that  the  Old  Testament  law  was  a  schoolmaster  to  lead  men 
to  Christ.  The  prophets  foretold  the  coming  of  Christ.  The  Gos- 
pels reveal  Jesus  in  the  flesh  and  tell  the  story  of  his  Hfe,  death,  and 
resurrection.  The  Acts  describe  Christ  as  present  in  the  Uves  of  the 
apostles,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  estabhshing  his  church 
throughout  the  world.  The  epistles  tell  us  what  we  are  to  believe 
about  Christ  and  the  Christian  rehgion,  and  how  we  can  Hve  Christ- 
like lives. 

Some  children  were  trying  to  put  together  a  map  puzzle.  They 
were  about  to  give  up  in  despair  when  one  of  them  turned  over  a  piece 
and  discovered  a  man's  eye.  "Oh,  there  is  the  face  of  a  man  on  the 
other  side,"  the  child  exclaimed.  Taking  the  man's  face  as  a  key, 
they  soon  had  each  piece  in  its  proper  place,  and,  turning  it  over, 
found  a  perfect  map.  Teachers  and  pupils  are  often  puzzled  over  the 
meaning  of  a  lesson  until  they  realize  that  the  face  of  Christ  is  on  the 
other  side. 

THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  IMAGINATION 

Little  children  Hve  in  a  world  of  fancy — a  world  of  make-beHeve. 
Nevertheless  it  is  to  them  a  very  real  world.  This  same  fancy,  when 
it  deals  with  great  facts,  becomes  imagination.  The  story  of  the  Child 
Jesus  appeals  strongly  to  the  imagination  of  childhood.  Imagination 
is  the  creative  faculty  of  the  mind.  By  it  boys  and  girls  can  create  as 
real  the  conditions  of  vile  sin.  Gen.  6:5.  By  the  same  power  they 
realize  the  personal  presence  of  God  in  the  soul.     Gen.  29 :  17-19.     A 

52 


THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  TEACHER 

diseased  imagination  is  the  most  debasing  power  in  human  life.  A 
reverent  imagination  is  one  of  the  conditions  of  a  complete  Christian 
experience.  It  is  closely  associated  with  the  desires  of  the  heart. 
We  live  with  the  things  which  we  love,  whether  they  be  good  or  bad. 
By  the  imagination  poets,  prophets,  and  seers  have  given  embodi- 
ment to  the  heart  hungers,  the  dreams  and  hopes  of  humanity.  Christ 
challenges  the  teacher  of  to-day  to  build  the  imagination  of  youth 
around  him  and  to  find  in  his  presence  the  power  which  keeps  the  heart 
pure. 

THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  INTELLECT 

As  young  people  begin  to  think  and  reason  for  themselves  they  begin 
to  question  and  doubt.  Some  doubt  because  they  think  it  is  smart, 
but  most  young  people  are  sincere,  and  teachers  should  respect  their 
difficulties.  They  want  to  know  but  are  unwilling  to  accept  as  true 
a  fact  which  they  cannot  understand.  Young  people  lack  the  wisdom 
that  comes  from  wide  experience  and  mature  thinking.  A  little 
knowledge  makes  men  doubt,  but  much  wisdom  leads  to  faith. 

Never  argue  or  wrangle  about  religious  truths,  for  spiritual  things 
are  spiritually  discerned.  Everyone  knows  the  difiference  between 
right  and  wrong,  and  that  it  is  right  to  do  right.  Virtue  and  honor, 
justice  and  love,  are  realities  which  the  rational  mind  cannot  ques- 
tion, and  beyond  which  we  do  not  need  to  go.  The  honest  seeker 
after  truth,  who  will  love  God  and  keep  his  commandments  and  faith- 
fully study  his  Word,  will  some  day  understand  the  mystery  of  the 
di\'ine  Mind.  In  asking  young  men  and  women  to  have  faith  in 
Christ  as  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,  the  teacher  of  to-day 
honors  the  intellect  and  appeals  to  the  reason.  We  teach  "Jesus 
Christ,  and  him  crucified,"  not  in  opposition  to  the  reason  but  be- 
cause therein  is  revealed  the  true  wisdom  of  God  which  is  spiritually 
discerned.     I  Cor.,  ch.  2. 

"God  in  Christ,  accepted  by  the  reason. 
Solves  for  thee  all  problems  in  the  universe  and  out  of  it." 

THE  CHALLENGE  TO  FAITH 

It  was  a  ringing  challenge  that  Jesus  gave  to  the  men  and  women  of 
his  day  to  believe  in  him.     Then  he  withdrew  from  their  sight  and 

53 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

asked  that  they  believe  in  the  unseen  Lord.  •  This  is  the  work  of  thr 
teacher;  to  lead  boys  and  girls,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  pass 
from  a  knowledge  of  the  Jesus  who  walked  upon  earth,  loving  little 
children,  heahng  the  sick,  and  raising  the  dead,  to  faith  in  the  risen 
Christ.     There  are  at  least  five  steps  in  the  growth  of  faith  : 

1.  Faith  is  believing  in  God.     Heb.  11:6. 

2.  Faith  is  acting  upon  the  promises  of  God.  Heb.  11 :  13,  26-29, 
32-40. 

3.  Faith  is  beheving  that  Christ  is  the  full  revelation  of  God,  of 
his  purpose  toward  us,  and  of  what  he  would  like  his  children  to  be- 
come.    John  14 :  1-9;  Rom.  8  :  26-39;  I  John  5:1-5. 

4.  Faith  is  accepting  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord  of  Hfe  by  a  de- 
liberate choice  of  the  will.     John  7  :  38;  Rom.  10 :  1-15. 

5.  Faith  is  fellowship  with  Christ,  through  love  and  affection, 
through  prayer  and  service,  until  our  wills  become  his  will  and  his 
Hfe  our  Hfe.     John  14 :  23;   15  :  1-17;  Eph.  2  :  1-10;  James  2  :  14-26. 


FAITH  AND  THE  TEACHING  PROCESS 

Faith  once  estabHshed  by  the  work  of  God's  Spirit  is  a  matter  of 
growth  and  should  be  stimulated  and  nourished  by  training. 

1.  The  period  of  preparation  (one  to  eleven  years). — In  contact 
with  nature,  the  child  recognizes  God  as  Creator.  Through  contact 
with  the  family  life  God  is  discerned  as  Caretaker  and  Father.  In  the 
stor}^  of  the  Child  Jesus  and  his  love  for  little  children  God  is  discerned 
as  a  loving  Friend.  Now  is  the  time  to  train  the  child  in  reverence, 
worship,  prayer,  and  trust,  which  are  the  beginnings  of  faith.  A 
simple,  childHke  faith  must  be  the  attitude  of  aU  who  would  enter 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  By  nine  years  of  age  the  moral  sense  is 
fuHy  awakened  and  God  is  discerned  as  holy  and  righteous  and  a  great 
Lawgiver.  Conscience  should  now  be  trained,  and  the  idea  of  sin  as 
disobedience  of  God's  wiU,  involving  its  own  punishment,  should  be 
firmly  implanted. 

2.  The  period  of  regeneration  (twelve  to  eighteen  years). — About 
the  twelfth  year  native  moral  instincts  and  precepts  taught  in  early 
youth  are  suffused  with  intense  feeling,  giving  birth  to  the  abstract 
concepts  of  honor,  loyalty,  truth,  duty,  and  hoHness.     The  soul  be- 

54 


THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  TEACHER 

comes  exceedingly  sensitive  to  sin,  and  that  which  was  outward 
authority  now  becomes  inward  compulsion.  The  old  pathways  have 
been  obliterated,  and  the  mind  seeks  light  and  guidance.  Over  the 
young  soul  standing  eager  and  undecided  upon  the  threshold  of  life 
the  Spirit  broods.  Out  of  the  background  of  previous  preparation, 
through  the  personahty  of  a  sympathetic  teacher,  fresh  presentations 
of  Scripture  suffused  with  new  meaning,  awakened  ideals,  and  a  tender 
conscience,  Christ  emerges  as  Saviour,  and,  by  faith,  comes  into  the 
soul.  The  process  of  spiritual  regeneration  may  be  a  normal  ex- 
perience in  the  lives  of  many  young  people,  or  it  may  involve  a  very 
radical  change  of  heart. 

3.  The  period  of  reorganization  and  readjustment  (eighteen  to 
twenty-four  years). — The  coming  into  a  life  of  any  great  truth,  ideal, 
or  experience  will  cause  a  reorganization  of  all  previous  ideas  and  ex- 
periences. The  chief  task  of  the  teacher  is  to  help  each  pupil  to  or- 
ganize all  truth,  experience,  and  habits  around  the  great  fact  of  Christ 
in  the  soul.  This  makes  for  a  Christ-centered  life,  a  deeply  rooted 
faith. 

THE  CHALLENGE  OF  THE  MISSIONARY  PROGRAM  OF 

JESUS 

Jesus  challenged  his  disciples  to  a  world-wide  program.  The  Jews 
were  narrow  and  provincial,  and  it  was  very  hard  for  them  to  realize 
that  God  loved  the  great  outside  world.  Even  the  early  Christians 
could  scarcely  believe  that  the  gospel  was  for  other  nations.  Acts 
11:1-18;   15:1-36. 

Missionary  education  is  an  essential  part  of  character-building.  It 
should  be  graded,  that  is,  each  department  should  have  material 
adapted  to  the  experience  of  the  children.  The  missionary  aim  and 
motive  in  children  begins  with  their  respect  for  those  of  different  race 
and  social  position  who  enter  the  home  as  servants  or  workmen,  for 
the  children  with  whom  they  play,  for  the  children  in  many  lands. 
All  missionary  instruction  should  be  simple,  concrete,  and  personal. 
Every  boy  and  girl  should  know  intimately  several  of  the  great  mis- 
sionary heroes  on  home  and  foreign  fields.  They  should  be  made  to 
feel  themselves  a  part  of  the  far-flung  battle  line  of  Christ. 

The  missionary  motive  is  the  motive  of  the  cross.     It  rests  upon  re- 

55 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

spect,  love,  and  duty,  and  not  upon  pity  and  charity.  It  is  the  spirit 
of  Christlike  self-sacrifice  for  others.  The  missionary  program  of 
Jesus  is  a  challenge  to  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  Church  to  dedicate  their 
lives  to  missionary  work  at  home  or  abroad.  Teachers  are  largely 
responsible  for  the  proper  presentation  of  this  challenge. 

Missionary  education  is  incomplete  unless  it  includes  instruction  in 
giving,  together  with  a  plan  or  method  of  giving.  Generous,  cheer- 
ful giving  of  oneself  and  one's  money  is  a  vital  element  in  the  building 
of  Christian  character.     Children  should  be  taught  to  give  because: 

1.  Giving  is  a  Christian  grace,  just  as  much  as  virtue  and  truthful- 
ness. II  Cor.  8 :  1-12.  The  Christian  who  will  not  give  is  selfish, 
and  selfishness  is  the  root  of  much  evil  and  sin. 

2.  Giving  is  living.  Love  and  self-sacrifice  are  the  fundamental 
principles  of  all  Hfe  both  divine  and  human.  John  3  :  16;  Gal.  2  :  20. 
Selfishness  is  death.  Mark  8 :  34-38.  We  Hve  in  proportion  as  we 
give.     II  Cor.,  chs,  6-9. 

3.  Giving  is  a  joy,  II  Cor.  8:2,  and  should  be  cheerful  and  free,  not 
of  necessity.     II  Cor.  9  :  7. 

4.  Giving  is  a  duty.  We  are  stewards  of  God.  He  has  intrusted 
us  with  talent  and  wordly  wealth.  We  must  render  an  account.  At 
least  one  tenth  should  be  set  aside  for  the  Lord.  Mai.  3 :  7-10. 
Christ  highly  commended  those  who  give  more  generously.  Matt. 
10:8;  Mark  12:  41-44;  John  12:  1-8;  II  Cor.  8  :  1-3. 

5.  Giving  is  thanksgiving  and  worship.  II  Cor.  9 :  15.  In  all 
Sunday  schools  giving  should  be  a  part  of  the  exercise  of  worship. 

6.  Giving  is  largely  a  habit  and  should  be  regular,  systematic,  and 
proportionate.  I  Cor.  16:2;  II  Cor.  8:9-12.  (See  Problems  of 
Finance  in  Part  IV  on  the  Sunday  school.) 

7.  Giving  is  always  stimulated  when  the  definite  objects  to  which 
we  give  are  kept  before  the  mind.  Children  should  be  made  to  feel 
a  personal  interest  in  the  work. 

THE  CHALLENGE  OF  THE  PRAYER  LIFE 

It  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  maintain  a  genuine  life  of  prayer.  In  the 
hour  of  temptation  and  trial  Jesus  challenged  his  disciples  to  pray. 
Luke  22  :  39-46.  In  the  presence  of  the  world's  need  our  Lord  urged 
his  disciples  to  pray  for  laborers.     Matt.  9 :  35-38.     Prayer  is  the 

56 


THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  TEACHER 

"Christian's  vital  breath";  we  live  by  prayer  which,  above  every- 
thing else,  is  communion  with  God.  Jesus  trained  his  disciples  in 
the  meaning  and  practice  of  prayer. 

1.  By  example  and  atmosphere.  They  beheld  him  at  prayer  and 
they  saw  the  results  in  his  Hfe.  He  created  in  them  a  hunger  for 
prayer.  There  was  something  in  the  very  atmosphere  of  his  presence 
which  suggested  communion  with  God.  Every  Sunday  school  teacher 
should  study  the  prayer  life  of  our  Lord  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel  of 
Luke.  The  whole  school  should  be  pervaded  by  an  atmosphere  of 
prayer. 

2.  By  instruction.  The  Lord's  Prayer  is  doubtless  a  statement  of 
the  form  and  substance  of  all  prayer  and  contains  adoration,  worship, 
confession,  and  petition  for  self  and  others.  Children  should  learn 
the  joy  of  prayer  for  others. 

3.  By  practice.  Throughout  the  New  Testament  we  are  urged  to 
pray  daily,  constantly.  Habit  is  a  great  aid  in  establishing  the  prayer 
life.  Morning  and  evening  prayer  should  be  cultivated.  A  reverent 
attitude  is  essential  to  the  prayer  spirit.  After  about  the  ninth  year 
children  should  be  helped  in  formulating  their  own  prayers.  Teachers 
and  parents  should  not  only  pray  for  their  children  but  with  them. 

Prayer  is  intimately  associated  with  faith  and  the  promises  of  God. 
A  careful  study  of  the  following  passages  will  help  teachers  both  in 
their  preparation  and  in  their  work  of  teaching :  Luke  1 1 :  1-13;  James 
1 :  2-8;  Heb.  4:  14-16;  I  John  5 :  13-15.  The  secret  of  the  great 
success  of  Jesus  as  a  teacher  Hes  in  this  one  fact :  he  was  a  man  of 
prayer. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  that  in  all  teaching  Christ  may  be 
exalted  and  honored.     John  12  :  20-32. 

QUESTIONS  BY  WAY  OF  SUMMARY 
Describe  the  use  of  the  imagination. 
What  do  you  think  faith  is? 
How  would  you  develop  faith  in  children? 
Why  is  missionary  education  essential  to  character-building? 
How  did  Jesus  teach  his  disciples  to  pray? 

QUESTIONS  FOR  CLASS  DISCUSSION 

What  are  some  of  the  doubts  of  young  people  and  how  would  you 
deal  with  them? 

57 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

How  can  you  best  cultivate  the  prayer  life  of  Juniors?  Of  Inter- 
mediates?    Of  Seniors? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Bible. — Studies  in  the  meaning  of  faith.  Heb.,  ch.  11;  Matt. 
8:5-13;   Rom.,  ch.  8;   James,  chs.  1,  2,  5. 

Speer. — "The  Man  Christ  Jesus." 

Veach. — "The  Friendship  of  Jesus." 

Marquis. — "Learning  to  Teach  from  the  Master  Teacher." 

Trumbull. — "How  to  Deal  with  Doubts  and  Doubters." 

Trull  and  Stowell. — "The  Sunday  School  Teacher  and  the  Pro- 
gram of  Jesus." 

Brown. — "The  Why  and  How  of  Missions  in  the  Sunday  School." 

Trull.— "Missionary  Methods  for  Sunday  School  Workers." 

Trull. — "Missionary  Programs  and  Incidents." 

SoMERNDiKE. — "Sunday  School  Missionary  Incidents  and  Exer- 
cises." 

Miller. — "Devotional  Life  of  the  Sunday  School  Teacher." 

Murray.— "With  Christ  in  the  School  of  Prayer." 

FoSDiCK. — "The  Meaning  of  Prayer." 


HINTS  FOR  EXAMINATION 

Beheving  that  an  examination  should  be  a  clear  statement  of  the 
subjects  and  principles  discussed  in  the  classroom  rather  than  a  hur- 
ried writing  of  imperfectly  understood  facts,  the  Department  of  Re- 
ligious Education  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  PubHcation  and  Sab- 
bath School  Work  will  make  up  the  examination  from  the  questions 
and  suggestions  at  the  close  of  each  lesson  and  from  the  following 
additional  Hst.  Teachers  should  take  great  pains  to  see  that  the  pupils 
thoroughly  understand  the  facts  and  principles  involved  in  all  ques- 
tions and  suggestions  at  the  time  when  each  lesson  is  studied  and  again 
by  way  of  review. 
Study  I. 

Why  is  the  idea  of  God  the  fundamental  fact  in  rehgious  education? 

Select  some  great  teacher  whom  you  have  known  and  name  his  or 
her  outstanding  quaUfications. 
Study  II. 

What  is  the  best  way  to  advise  a  boy  or  a  girl  who  is  fighting  some 
secret  sin  or  temptation? 

58 


THE  CHALLENGE  OF  CHRIST  TO  THE  TEACHER 

Study  III. 

What  is  meant  by  the  social  basis  of  education? 

Which  is  the  most  vital  institution  from  a  standpoint  of  education? 

Why? 
How  do  you  think  we  can  ever  have  a  world  peace? 
Study  IV. 

Describe  the  difference  between  the  sensory  and  the  motor  nerves. 
Why,  when,  and  how,  would  you  use  a  blackboard  in  teaching  a 
lesson?     A  picture? 
Study  V. 
How  does  a  child  get  a  notion  of  a  thing?    A  person? 
How  would  you  teach  the  Twenty-third  Psalm  to  a  child  who  has 
never  been  in  the  country? 
Study  VI. 
Describe  the  process  by  which  a  child  forms  the  concepts  "nation," 

"salvation." 
What  is  the  best  way  to  teach  children  to  form  correct  moral  judg- 
ments? 
Describe  briefly  the  evolution  of  your  own  ideals. 
Study  VII. 
Name  what  you  think  is  the  dominant  interest  of  a  boy  seven  years 
old,  ten  years  old,  thirteen  years  old,  sixteen  years  old.     Do  the 
same  with  girls. 
How  would  you  get  the  attention  of  a  class  of  boys  who  had  been 
at  a  ball  game  on  Saturday? 
Study  VIII. 
What  method  of  presenting  the  lesson  would  you  use  in  teaching 
Luke,  ch.  15  to  a  Primary  class,  a  Junior  class,  an  adult  class? 
Study  IX. 
Make  a  lesson  outline  for  an  Intermediate  class  using  I  Sam. 
18:1-9;   19:1-7. 
Study  X. 
What  is  the  central  theme  of  the  following  passages :  Isa.  52  :  13-53; 

Zech.  9:8-17? 
What  five  things  have  helped  you  most  in  the  study  of  these  ten 
lessons? 

59 


THE   NEW  WESTMINSTER   STANDARD  COURSE 
FOR  TEACHER  TRAINING 

That  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works 


II  Timothy  3:17 


FIRST  YEAR,  PART  III 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF 
CHRIST 


BY 
HUGH  T.  KERR,  D.D. 


The  books  of  this  course  are  based  on  the  standard 

adopted    by   the    Sunday   School   Council   of 

Evangelical  Denominations  and  approved 

by  the  International  Sunday  School 

Association 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

THE    WESTMINSTER    PRESS 

1919 


Study  to  shew  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the 
word  of  truth. 

All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profit- 
able for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness: 

That  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works. 

II  Timothy  2:  15;  3:  16,  17. 

Christ  made  himself  an  infant  to  infants,  that  he  might 
sanctify  them;  he  made  himself  a  child  to  children, 
giving  holiness  to  those  of  that  age,  to  the  end  he  might 
afford  them  in  his  person  an  example  of  piety,  and  sanc- 
tity, and  subjection.  He  made  himself  a  young  man  to 
young  men,  giving  them  a  pattern,  and  sanctifying 
them  for  the  service  of  our  Lord. 

— Irenaeus. 


Copyright,  1917 
By  F.  M.  Braselman 


FOREWORD 

The  outlines  of  the  Standard  Teacher  Training  Course  as  approved 
by  the  Sunday  School  Council  of  Evangelical  Denominations  and  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association  provide  for  three  years  of 
forty  lessons  each. 

The  outline  of  the  first  year's  work,  including  the  subjects  deemed 
most  vital  in  the  worker's  training,  is  as  follows: 

Part  I.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Pupil. 

Part  II.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Principles  of  Teaching,  with  emphasis 
on  general  psychology. 

Part  III.  Ten  Lessons  on  How  to  Teach  the  Life  of  Christ  in  the 
different  grades. 

Part  IV.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Sunday  School,  being  an  outline  of 
the  aim,  curriculum,  and  organization  of  the  modern  Sunday  school. 

When  the  new  course  for  the  first  year  is  compared  with  the  previous 
First  Standard  Course,  it  will  be  noted  that  an  increased  amount  of 
BibUcal  knowledge  is  necessary  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  Those 
who  prepared  the  outline,  as  well  as  the  writers  of  the  lessons,  assume 
that  a  fairly  good  knowledge  of  the  Bible  has  been  gained  by  the 
members  of  the  class  during  the  Intermediate  and  Senior  years  of  the 
Sunday  school. 

The  arrangement  of  these  studies  calls  for  much  classroom  dis- 
cussion and  outside  observation.  This  is  a  most  valuable  method. 
The  careful  assignment  of  each  lesson  will  prove  helpful. 

The  reader  should  bear  in  mind  two  recent  important  rulings  of  the 
Sunday  School  Council :  1.  The  fact  that  under  certain  circumstances 
twelve-year-old  pupils  may  with  advantage  be  included  in  the  Inter- 
mediate Department.  2.  A  new  system  of  grading  has  been  adopted 
and  approved  by  many  Sunday-school  leaders,  whereby  the  pupils  can 
be  gathered  into  groups  of  three  years  each.  For  those  who  adopt 
this  new  grouping  the  Junior  Department  will  include  ages  nine,  ten, 
and  eleven,  the  Intermediate  ages  will  be  tw^elve,  thirteen,  and  four- 
teen, while  the  Senior  ages  will  be  fifteen,  sixteen,  and  seventeen. 
The  Young  People's  Department  extends  through  age  twenty-four. 
Then  comes  the  Adult  Department. 


STUDY  I 
JESUS  CHRIST  AND  CHRISTIAN  CHARACTER 

This  first  study  deals  with  the  place  of  the  life  and  character  of 
Christ  in  religious  education.  The  problem  presented  is  interesting 
and  vitally  important.  Character  is  the  greatest  thing  in  the  world. 
How  it  can  be  created  and  by  what  means  it  can  be  cultivated  are 
questions  of  primary  interest.  Christ  claimed  for  his  disciples  dis- 
tinction in  character.  Matt.  5 :  20,  47.  The  aim  of  this  chapter  will 
be  to  point  out  the  characteristics  of  Christian  character  and  the  rela- 
tion Christian  character  bears  to  the  life  and  person  of  our  Lord. 

THE  MASTER  BUILDER 

The  challenge  of  Christianity  and  the  claim  made  by  Jesus  is  that 
he  is  the  Master  and  Maker  of  men.  He  is  the  wise  Master  Builder. 
His  business  in  Hfe  was  that  of  a  builder.  He  was  "the  carpenter.' 
Mark  6:3.  He  knew  the  value  of  an  easy  yoke,  Matt.  11 :  30,  the 
necessity  of  a  true  foundation,  Matt.  7  :  24,  the  need  for  a  wise  estimate 
of  the  cost  before  starting  a  building  enterprise,  Luke  14 :  28;  he  loved 
to  look  at  the  buildings  of  the  Temple.  Matt.  24:  1.  He  wrote  no 
book,  built  no  monument,  created  no  dynasty.  He  built  manhood, 
and  created  in  the  world  a  new  type  of  character. 

THE  FACT  OF  HISTORY 

The  coming  of  Christ  into  the  Hfe  of  the  world  created  a  new  era. 
The  calendar  which  dates  the  events  of  history  B.C.  and  A.D.  bears 
eloquent  testimony  to  his  influence.  The  words  of  the  prophet 
describe  an  actual  condition,  "The  people  that  walked  in  darkness 
have  seen  a  great  light:  they  that  dwelt  in  the  land  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  upon  them  hath  the  hght  shined."  Isa.  9 :  2.  The  moral 
condition  of  the  world  when  Christ  came  is  sufficiently  portrayed  in 
the  first  chapter  of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans.     In  the  development 

5 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

of  the  social  order  and  of  nations  the  life  and  character  of  Jesus  hav< 
been  the  supreme  influence.     Two  illustrations  will  be  of  interest: 

1.  The  testimony  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte. — "Can  you  tell  me  who 
Jesus  Christ  was?  I  will  tell  you.  I  think  I  understand  something 
of  human  nature  and  I  tell  you  Jesus  Christ  was  more  than  a  man. 
Alexander,  Caesar,  Charlemagne,  and  myself  founded  great  empires; 
but  upon  what  did  the  creations  of  our  genius  depend?  Upon  force. 
Jesus  alone  founded  his  empire  upon  love,  and  to  this  very  day  millions 
would  die  for  him.  Yet  in  this  absolute  sovereignty  he  has  but  one 
aim — the  spiritual  perfection  of  the  individual.  Here  is  a  conqueror 
who  draws  men  to  himself  for  their  highest  good;  who  unites  to 
himself,  incorporates  into  himself  not  a  nation  but  the  whole  human 
race." 

2.  The  testimony  of  Lecky,  the  historian,  in  his  "History  of  European 
Morals." — "The  three  short  years  of  the  active  Ufe  of  Jesus  have  done 
more  to  regenerate  and  to  soften  mankind  than  all  the  disquisitions 
of  philosophers  and  all  the  exhortations  of  moralists." 

THE  FACT  OF  EXPERIENCE 

Christ  has  created  a  new  type  of  character  in  individuals.  A  Chris- 
tian is  a  "new  man,"Eph.  4:  24;  "a  new  creature."  II  Cor.  5  :  17. 
Margin,  "a  new  creation."  This  was  the  claim  Jesus  made  for  him- 
self. He  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost.  Luke  19 :  10.  He  came 
to  give  life  and  to  give  it  in  abundance.  John  10:10.  Millions  can 
testify  to  his  transforming  power.  Paul,  the  greatest  man  of  the  first 
century,  said,  "For  me  to  hve  is  Christ,"  Phil.  1 :  21,  and  Gladstone  in 
the  nineteenth  century  said,  "All  I  am  and  all  I  hope  to  be,  I  owe  to 
Jesus  Christ,  the  only  hope  of  our  poor  wayward  race." 

THE  WAY  HE  WORKS 

When  we  seek  to  discover  the  secret  of  his  influence  we  are  face  to 
face  with  the  mystery  of  his  Person.  All  personality  is  mysterious; 
how  much  more  the  personahty  of  the  man,  Christ  Jesus?  The  men 
who  formulated  the  great  confessions  of  the  Church  in  the  style  of  the 
great  age  of  the  English  language,  spoke  of  the  influence  of  Christ 
as  threefold:  as  Prophet,  as  Priest,  as  King.  This  familiar  and  fas- 
cinating division  will  help  us  in  our  discussion. 

6 


JESUS  CHRIST  AND  CHRISTIAN  CHARACTER 

JESUS  OUR  EXAMPLE 
Christ  reveals  to  us  life's  true  ideal.  He  is  the  Prophet.  A  prophet 
is  a  man  who  speaks  for  God  to  men.  Christ  is  God's  Spokesman, 
"reveahng  to  us,  by  his  Word  and  Spirit,  the  will  of  God  for  our  sal- 
vation." He  reveals  to  us  the  highest  moral  standard  and  Ufe's  true 
ideal. 

1.  In  his  teaching. — Christ's  teaching  takes  issue  with  all  that  goes 
before;  "Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  .  .  .  but  I  say  unto  you." 
Matt.  5:21,  22. 

The  Christian  ideal  as  presented  by  Jesus  in  his  teaching  is  found 
in  miniature  in  The  Beatitudes,  Matt.  5  :  1-12,  and  in  enlarged  form 
in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  Matt.,  chs.  5,  6,  7.  It  is  portrayed 
also  in  the  Christian  Hymn  of  Love  found  in  the  thirteenth  chapter 
of  First  Corinthians,  and  in  the  beautiful  wording  of  Paul's  epistle 
to  the  Colossians.  Col.  3 :  12-15.  In  this  connection  Robert  Louis 
Stevenson's  account  is  interesting.  "What  he  taught  was  not  a  code 
of  rules,  but  a  loving  spirit;  not  truth  but  a  spirit  of  truth;  not  views 
but  a  view." 

2.  In  his  own  person. — He  himself  is  the  ideal.  He  did  not  say, 
"Come  to  my  teaching,"  but  "Come  unto  me."  Matt.  11 :  28.  His 
conscience  challenges  our  conscience.  He  is  "holy,  guileless,  unde- 
filed,  separated  from  sinners."  Heb.  7:26.  He  "did  no  sin." 
I  Peter  2 :  22.  "He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father."  John 
14:9. 

All  ages  have  testified  of  him.  A  few  of  these  testimonies  are  well 
worth  thoughtful  study. 

"The  life  of  Christ  concerns  him  who,  being  the  holiest  among  the 
mighty,  the  mightiest  among  the  holy,  Hfted  with  his  pierced  hand 
empires  off  their  hinges,  and  turned  the  stream  of  centuries  out  of  its 
channel,  and  still  governs  the  ages." — Jean  Paul  Richter. 

"Thou  seemest  human  and  divine 
The  Highest,  HoHest,  Manhood  Thou." — Tennyson. 

"Oh,  what  amiss  may  I  forgive  in  thee, 
Jesus,  good  Paragon!   Thou  crystal  Christ." — Lanier. 

"Jesus  of  Nazareth,  our  divinest  symbol! 
Higher  has  the  human  thought  not  yet  reached." — Thomas  Car- 
lyle. 

7 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

"Jesus  Christ  is  in  the  noblest  and  most  perfect  sense,  the  reahzec^ 
ideal  of  humanity." — Herder. 

The  distinctive  qualities  in  the  character  of  Christ  have  been  vari- 
ously named.  Professor  Peabody  in  "Jesus  Christ  and  the  Christian 
Character"  names  three:  Righteousness,  Love,  Life.  Carnegie 
Simpson  in  "The  Fact  of  Christ"  gives  four:  Purity,  Love,  For- 
giveness, Humihty.  It  is  interesting  to  compare  these  analyses  with 
that  of  the  Apostle  Paul.     Gal.  5  :  22,  23. 

JESUS  OUR  LIFE 

Christ  gives  to  us  Hfe.  He  is  our  Priest.  He  gives  his  life  out  of 
love  for  us,  and  redeems  us  with  a  great  salvation. 

L  We  need  life. — The  revelation  of  the  ideal  convicts  us  of  sin  and 
leads  us  to  penitence.  This  is  the  staggering  penalty  of  having  an 
ideal.  An  ideal,  an  example,  is  not  enough;  we  need  a  helper,  a 
Saviour.  The  perfect  love  and  Hfe  of  Jesus,  however,  lead  us  in  peni- 
tence to  his  feet.  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had 
not  had  sin."  John  15 :  22.  It  was  in  the  presence  of  Jesus  that 
Peter  cried  out,  "Depart  from  me;  for  I  am  a  sinful  man."  Luke 
5:8. 

2.  Jesus  came  not  only  to  reveal  the  ideal  but  to  give  the  power  to 
attain. — Tennyson  in  "The  Human  Cry"  has  expressed  this  truth: 

"We  feel  we  are  nothing — for  all  is  Thou  arwi  in  thee; 
We  feel  we  are  something — that  also  has  come  from  thee; 
We  know  we  are  nothing — but  thou  wilt  help  us  to  be. 
Hallowed  be  thy  name — Hallelujah!" 

This  is  the  meaning  of  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement.  The  empha- 
sis of  the  record  of  the  Gospel  story  is  upon  the  death  of  Christ.  His 
cross  is  the  power  of  God  for  character.  "I  lay  down  my  Hfe  for  the 
sheep."  John  10:15.  "I  am  the  good  shepherd."  John  10:11. 
"And  I,  if  I  be  Hfted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me." 
John  12 :  32.  Paul's  experience  bore  witness  to  the  transforming 
character  of  the  great  fact  of  the  divine  sacrifice.  "I  have  been 
crucified  with  Christ."  Gal.  2 :  20.  Our  best  hymns  are  in  accord 
with  Christian  experience. 

"Love  so  amazing,  so  divine, 
Demands  my  soul,  my  Hfe,  my  all." 
8 


JESUS  CHRIST  AND  CHRISTIAN  CHARACTER 

JESUS  OUR  MASTER 
Christ  is  the  Lord  and  Master  of  our  lives.     He  is  our  King.     He 
subdues  us  to  himself.     We  call  him  "Lord."     John  13:13.     He 
challenges  and  controls  our  conscience,  and  in  loving  obedience  we 
serve  and  follow  him. 

1.  Christ  demands  a  surrendered  life. — "If  any  man  would  come, 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself."  Matt.  16 :  24.  Self-denial  in  Jesus' 
sense  is  the  surrender  of  self  to  God  once  and  for  all.  In  a  remark- 
able letter  from  Thomas  Huxley  to  Charles  Kingsley  this  truth  receives 
emphasis:  "Science  seems  to  me  to  teach  in  the  highest  and  strongest 
manner  the  great  truth  which  is  embodied  in  the  Christian  conception 
of  entire  surrender  to  the  will  of  God.  Sit  down  before  the  fact  as  a 
little  child,  be  prepared  to  give  up  every  preconceived  notion,  follow 
humbly  wherever  and  to  whatever  end  nature  leads,  or  you  shall 
learn  nothing.  ...  I  have  only  begun  to  learn  content  and  peace 
of  mind  since  I  have  resolved  at  all  risks  to  do  this." 

2.  Christ  demands  service. — "He  went  about  doing  good."  Acts 
10 :  38.  He  "came  not  to  be  ministered  unto."  Matt.  20 :  28.  We 
can  be  like  him  only  by  following  his  steps.  I  Peter  2:21.  His 
first  word  is  "Come."  Matt.  11 :  28.  His  last  word  is  "Go."  Matt. 
28:19.  He  claims  a  universal  allegiance.  In  him  "there  can  be 
neither  Jew  nor  Greek."  Gal.  3 :  28.  He  is  the  ideal,  the  Saviour, 
the  Master  of  all  men.  He  is  himself  the  "man,  Christ  Jesus." 
I  Tim.  2:5.  He  touched  life  at  its  lowest.  He  "became  flesh." 
John  1 :  14.  He  touched  life  at  its  highest.  Luke  14 :  10.  Rudyard 
Kiphng  said: 

"O  the  East  is  the  East,  and  the  West  is  West, 
And  never  the  twain  shall  meet." 

But  in  Jesus  both  East  and  West  have  met. 

Concerning  him,  childhood,  youth,  and  age.  East  and  West,  North 
and  South,  past  and  present,  unite  in  saying,  "Thou,  O  Christ,  art 
all  I  want." 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Stalker.— "The  Life  of  Christ."     Ch.  II,  pp.  29-38. 
Speer.— "The  Man  Christ  Jesus."     Ch.  VII. 
FosDiCK.— "The  Manhood  of  the  Master."     Pp.  157-166. 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

BuSHNELL. — "The  Character  of  Jesus." 

Breed. — "History  of  the  Preparation  of  the  World  for  Christ," 
Chs.  XI,  XIII,  XIV. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  Who  is  a  Christian?    What  is  the  "extra"  that  differentiates  a 
Christian  from  a  non-Christian? 

2.  Define  with  exactness  the  following  words:   incarnation,  atone- 
ment, justification,  salvation,  repentance. 

3.  Obtain  a  clear  conception  of  the  moral  condition  of  society  at  the 
time  of  the  coming  of  Christ. 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  relation  does  Christian  character  bear  to  the  life  and  per- 
son of  Jesus  Christ? 

2.  Show  how  Christ  produced  a  new  era  in  history. 

3.  What  claim  did  Jesus  make  for  himself? 

4.  How  does  Jesus  reveal  life's  ideal? 

5.  How  may  we  attain  unto  the  ideal  hfe? 

6.  What  is  meant  by  a  surrendered  life? 

7.  Why  must  every  true  Christian  be  interested  in  foreign  missions? 


10 


STUDY  II 
THE  SOURCES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

We  hold  that  Jesus  wrote  his  name  into  history  and  literature  and 
that  we  possess  authentic  information  concerning  him.  The  purpose 
of  this  chapter  is  to  point  out  the  sources  from  which  our  knowledge 
of  the  life  of  Christ  is  derived. 

THE  BOOK  OF  MEMORY 

The  four  Gospels,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John,  are  the  authen- 
tic records  of  the  Hfe  and  character  of  Jesus.  They  come  to  us  out  of 
a  Jewish  atmosphere.  The  rabbis  scrupulously  guarded  their  own 
law  and  Uterature.  The  motto,  "Commit  nothing  to  writing,"  illus- 
trates the  attitude  of  the  contemporaries  of  Jesus.  They  transmitted 
their  national  literature  by  word  of  mouth  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion. 

The  apostles  followed  the  same  method,  and  for  a  generation  com- 
mitted nothing  to  writing,  depending  upon  memory  to  do  its  great 
work.  This  method  is  referred  to  in  II  Tim.  1 :  14  where  Paul  speak- 
ing to  Timothy  says,  "That  good  thing  [Margin,  The  good  deposit] 
which  was  committed  unto  thee  guard."  It  was  to  preserve  this  true 
"deposit"  that  gradually  the  Gospel  story  was  committed  to  writing. 
In  general  outHne  Matthew  represents  the  Judean  oral  tradition, 
Mark  the  Roman,  and  Luke  the  Greek.  Everything  worth  v/hile 
bearing  upon  the  life  of  Christ  will  be  found  preserved  in  the  four 
Gospels. 

THE  FOUR  GOSPELS 

Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke,  are  usually  termed  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels because  they  have  a  common  purpose  and  follow  the  same 
general  plan.  They  contain  a  summary  of  the  leading  events  in  the 
Hfe  of  Christ.  "Three  fourths  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  is  practi- 
cally a  duplicate  of  Mark,  and  eleven  twelfths  of  the  entire  Gospel  of 
Mark  is  reproduced  in  the  same  or  in  a  shghtly  variant   form  in 

11 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Matthew.  If  the  Gospel  of  Mark  were  to  be  lost,  nearly  three  fourths 
of  it  could  be  found  in  or  reconstructed  from  Luke.  The  material 
found  in  Mark  but  not  in  Matthew  or  Luke  represents  less  than  an  or- 
dinary chapter"  (Kent).  The  general  conclusion  to  which  scholars 
have  come  in  the  study  of  the  three  Gospels  is  twofold. 

L  Matthew  and  Luke  used  Mark's  Gospel  in  the  preparation  of 
their  Gospels. 

2.  Matthew  and  Luke  had  access  to  another  written  account  of  the 
life  of  Christ,  designated  by  the  symbol  "Q,"  which  is  now  lost. 

OUTLINE  OF  THE  GOSPELS 

L  The  Gospel  of  Mark. — Mark's  Gospel  is  the  oldest  and  briefest 
of  the  Gospels.  It  is  characterized  by  action  and  follows  chronologi- 
cally the  Hfe  of  Jesus.  The  word  "straightway"  occurs  again  and 
again.     It  is  essentially  a  historical  record. 

The  Gospel  of  Mark  is  characterized  by  simplicity  and  directness, 
vivid  realism,  minuteness  of  detail,  emphasis  placed  upon  Jesus' 
times  of  retirement,  his  supernatural  power,  and  his  perfect  humanity. 

This  Gospel  which  is  anonymous  has  been  universally  ascribed  to 
Mark,  the  John  Mark  of  The  Acts,  and  the  young  man  of  Mark  14 :  51, 
52.  Tradition  has  always  associated  the  name  of  Mark  with  the  name 
of  Peter,  and  there  are  many  signs  that  point  to  the  tradition  that 
Peter  guided  the  writing  of  this  Gospel.  (For  further  outline  see 
Study  X.) 

2.  The  Gospel  of  Matthew. — The  Gospel  of  Matthew  has  a  Jewish 
atmosphere.  It  contains  over  fifty  quotations  from  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  refers  frequently  to  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy.  The  pri- 
mary aim  of  the  Gospel  is  to  set  forth  Jesus  as  the  true  Messiah  who 
wiU  establish  on  earth  the  Kingdom  of  God.  The  Gospel  of  Matthew 
is  called  the  "gospel  of  the  kingdom."     Matt.  4:  23;  9:35;  24:  14. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  arrangement  of  the  contents.  Matthew 
hv:s  grouped  many  of  the  sayings  of  Christ  and  classified  his  teaching. 
The  chronological  order  is  broken  and  great  sections  of  teaching  are 
inserted.     Five  great  "teaching  sections"  may  be  pointed  out: 

(a)  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount.     Matt.,  chs.  5-7. 

(b)  The  Charge  to  the  Twelve.     Matt.,  chs.  10;  11 :  1. 

(c)  The  Parables  of  the  Kingdom.     Matt.,  ch.  13. 

12 


THE  SOURCES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

(d)  The  Address  to  His  Disciples.     Matt.,  chs.  18;    19:  1. 

(e)  The  Prophetic  Discourse.     Matt.,  chs.  23-25. 

This  emphasis  upon  the  teaching  ministry  of  Jesus  has  led  an  emi- 
nent scholar  (JuHcher)  to  call  Matthew  ''the  most  important  book 
ever  written."     (For  further  outline  see  Study  VII.) 

3.  The  Gospel  of  Luke. — The  Gospel  of  Luke  has  been  called  "the 
most  beautiful  book  in  the  world"  (Renan).  It  has  a  marvelous 
style  and  beauty  of  expression.  It  alone  of  the  four  Gospels  gives  us 
the  Christmas  hymns,  the  parables  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  the  Lost  Piece 
of  Money,  the  Prodigal  Son,  the  Rich  Fool,  the  Pharisee  and  Publican, 
the  Good  Samaritan,  Dives  and  Lazarus. 

If  Mark  follows  the  chronology  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  if  Matthew 
groups  his  teaching,  Luke  introduces  the  teaching  where  it  belongs  in 
the  chronology.  The  human  note  is  very  striking  and  Jesus  is  set 
forth  as  the  Friend  of  sinners,  the  Saviour  of  all  the  needy. 

The  author  in  his  introduction,  Luke  1 :  1-4,  sets  forth  his  own  pur- 
pose in  writing  the  book,  and  all  who  study  what  he  has  written  feel 
that  he  accomplished  his  aim. 

The  author  is  Luke,  the  friend  and  companion  of  Paul,  "the  be- 
loved physician."  His  culture  and  training,  together  with  his  fine 
Christian  character,  account  for  the  beauty  and  the  winsomeness  of 
the  book  which  bears  his  name.     (For  further  outline  see  Study  VIII.) 

4.  The  Gospel  of  John. — The  Gospel  of  John  stands  by  itself.  It 
is  later  than  the  other  three  Gospels,  and  has  a  different  aim.  It 
partakes  more  of  the  nature  of  an  argument  than  of  a  biography,  and 
the  author's  aim  is  distinctly  set  forth  at  the  conclusion.  John  20 :  30, 
31.  (The  twenty-first  chapter  is  an  appendix.)  The  language  of  this 
Gospel  is  simple  and  childlike,  but  it  is  the  profoundest  of  the  four 
Gospels  and  is  interested  in  universal  principles  and  rehgious  truths 
rather  than  in  historical  facts.  "John,"  says  Clement  of  Alexandria, 
(A.D.  200),  "having  observed  that  the  bodily  things  (i.  e.,  the  bare 
historic  facts)  had  been  sufficiently  set  forth  by  the  earHer  Gospels 
.     .     .     produced  a  spiritual  {i.  e.,  an  allegorical)  Gospel." 

The  book  was  written  toward  the  end  of  the  first  century  and  has 
been  accredited  to  John  the  Apostle.  (For  further  outline  see  Study 
IX.) 

13 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

CONTEMPORARY  TESTIMONY 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  contemporary  literature  almost 
overlooks  the  Hfe  and  work  of  Jesus.  The  world  is  always  looking 
for  the  spectacular  and  Jesus  introduced  the  spiritual. 

"They  were  looking  for  a  King, 
To  slay  their  foes  and  hft  them  high. 
And  lo!  a  Httle  baby  thing 
That  made  a  woman  cry." 

Nevertheless  there  is  not  wanting  testimony  to  the  reality  of  the 
Gospel  history.  A  few  references  are  all  that  can  be  given  here. 
Josephus,  who  was  born  at  Jerusalem,  A.D.  37,  in  his  Antiquities, 
bears  witness  to  the  death  of  "James,  the  brother  of  Jesus,  the  so- 
called  Messiah."  Tacitus,  the  Roman  historian,  who  wrote  about 
A.D.  115,  testifies  that  Nero  falsely  accused  those  who  were  commonly 
called  Christians  for  the  burning  of  Rome,  and  says,  "The  founder  of 
that  name,  Christus,  had  been  put  to  death  by  the  procurator  Pontius 
Pilate  in  the  reign  of  Tiberius."  In  A.D.  112,  in  a  letter  to  Trajan, 
the  Roman  emperor,  Pliny,  the  governor  of  Bithynia,  in  speaking  of 
the  Christians,  describes  them  as  those  who  assemble  on  a  fixed  day 
before  daybreak  and  sing  responsively  "a  hymn  to  Christ  as  to  a  god." 
These  references,  apart  from  the  Gospels,  are  sufficient  to  establish 
the  place  of  Christ  in  history. 

DISCO\^ERED  SYMBOLS  AND  SAYINGS 

Marvelous  testimony  comes  from  the  catacombs,  the  sleeping  place 
of  more  than  174,000  early  Christians.  Among  the  ten  thousand 
inscriptions  discovered,  the  phrase,  "In  Christ,"  is  constantly  found. 
Among  the  symbols  treated  are,  "The  Good  Shepherd,"  "The  Birth 
of  Christ,"  "The  Wise  Men,"  "The  Saviour,"  "The  Baptism,"  "The 
Lord's  Supper."  Many  of  the  parables  and  miracles  of  Jesus  are  set 
forth  in  picture  form. 

Sayings  accredited  to  Jesus,  not  found  in  the  New  Testament,  have 
been  discovered.  Alexander  Duff,  the  missionary,  found  over  a 
gateway  in  India,  the  words  in  Arabic,  "Jesus,  on  whom  be  peace, 
has  said,  'The  world  is  merely  a  bridge;  you  are  to  pass  over  it  and 
not  to  build  your  dwellings  on  it.'"     In  more  recent  years  other  so- 

14 


THE  SOURCES  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

called  sayings  have  been  brought  to  light.  "Wherever  they  are 
.  .  and  there  is  one  alone,  I  am  with  him."  "Raise  the  stone 
and  thou  shalt  find  me;  cleave  the  wood  and  there  am  I."  "He 
who  wonders  shall  reign,  and  who  reigns  shall  rest."  "Except  you 
fast  to  the  world,  you  shall  in  no  wise  find  the  Kingdom  of  God." 
While  they  add  nothing  new  to  the  teaching  of  Jesus  they  are  inter- 
esting and  testify  to  his  Ufe  and  influence. 

LITERATURE  NON-BIBLICAL 

It  was  inevitable  that  around  the  character  and  life  of  Jesus  a  vast 
amount  of  conjectural  literature  should  gather.  It  is  possible  here 
merely  to  mention  some  of  these  twenty-five  so-called  gospels.  "The 
Gospel  of  Hebrews"  dates  back  to  the  second  century.  "The  Gos- 
pel of  Peter,"  discovered  in  1886,  tells  the  story  of  the  death  of  Jesus 
and  his  resurrection.  "The  Gospel  of  the  Egyptians"  dates  perhaps 
from  A.D.  200  and  was  well  known  among  the  Christians  of  Egypt. 
Later  attempts  at  writing  the  life  of  Christ  are  more  fanciful  and  are 
termed  "The  Apocryphal  Gospels."  These  include  "The  Gospel  of 
James,"  "The  Arabic  Gospel,"  "The  Gospel  of  Thomas,"  "The 
Passion  of  Mary,"  "The  Book  of  Mary,"  "The  Acts  of  Pilate." 
They  have  no  historical  value  save  the  testimony  they  bear  to  the 
marvelous  influence  of  Jesus  upon  the  thought  of  the  world.  To  read 
them  is  to  discover  the  great  gulf  that  divides  them  from  the  simplic- 
ity of  the  four  Gospels. 

REFERENCES  OUTSIDE  THE  GOSPELS 

While  the  four  Gospels  contain  all  there  is  of  value  bearing  upon 
the  life  of  Christ,  there  are  other  important  references  which  must 
not  be  overlooked. 

1.  In  the  New  Testament. — Paul  in  The  Acts,  ch.  20:35,  gives 
us  one  of  Jesus'  sayings.  In  his  sermons  Peter  incorporates  much  of 
the  teaching  of  Jesus.  In  Paul's  epistles  eloquent  testimony  is  borne 
to  his  mission  and  message,  and  the  book  of  Revelation  proclaims  him 
"the  Alpha  and  the  Omega."     Rev.  22 :  13. 

2.  In  the  Church  Fathers. — While  Httle  information  is  added  in  the 
writings  of  the  great  leaders  of  the  early  Church,  many  of  the  sayings 
and  events  found  in  the  four  Gospels  are  repeated  and  confirmed. 

15 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

THE  PORTRAIT  OF  CHRIST 
Very  early  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  the  individuality  of  the  fou^ 
Gospels  was  set  forth  under  four  striking  symbols.  Matthew's  Gos 
pel  was  represented  by  a  "Man,"  Mark's  by  a  "Lion,"  Luke's  by  an 
"Ox,"  and  John's  by  an  "Eagle" — the  man  representing  sympathy, 
the  lion  strength,  the  ox  sacrifice,  and  the  eagle  aspiration.  What- 
ever may  have  been  the  origin  of  this  symbolism,  the  fact,  at  least,  is 
clear  that  while  we  have  four  Hfe-size  portraits,  together  they  reveal 
the  unity  of  the  character  of  the  man,  Christ  Jesus.  "The  portrait 
before  one  is  a  reality.  The  history  may  be  a  thing  of  the  past ;  the 
Gospels  may  have  their  origin  in  obscurity,  but  the  portrait  is  a  fact  of 
to-day"  (Matheson). 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Rhees.— "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."     Ch.  11. 
Kent.— "The  Life  and  Teaching  of  Jesus."     Pp.  1-33. 
Davis. — "A  Dictionary  of  the  Bible."     Article  on  "Gospel." 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  Why  did  not  Jesus  himself  commit  his  teaching  to  writing? 

2.  Apart  from  the  four  Gospels  what  should  we  know  of  the  Hfe  of 
Christ  from  the  rest  of  the  New  Testament? 

3.  Try  to  obtain  a  clear  conception  of  the  difference  between  the 
Gospel  of  John  and  the  Synoptic  Gospels. 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  Why  were  not  the  Gospels  written  earlier? 

2.  What  is  meant  by  the  Synoptic  Gospels? 

3.  Characterize  each  of  the  four  Gospels. 

4.  What  contemporary  testimony  to  Jesus  do  we  possess? 

5.  What  testimony  to  Jesus  is  found  in  the  catacombs? 

6.  Repeat  some  of  the  recently  discovered  sayings  accredited  to 
•Jesus. 

7.  Name  some  of  the  non-Biblical  gospels,  and  show  how  they 
differ  from  the  four  Gospels. 


16 


STUDY  III 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

PART  I:    TO  THE  FEEDING  OF  THE  FIVE  THOUSAND 

When  we  speak  of  the  life  of  Christ  we  mean  of  course  the  thirty- 
three  years  of  his  earthly  manifestation.  The  Gospel  of  John  asserts 
that  his  Hfe  did  not  begin  at  his  birth.  "In  the  beginning  was  the 
Word."  John  1:1.  Jesus,  himself,  suggests  this  same  truth  when 
he  says,  "I  am  come,"  "I  came."  On  the  other  hand  the  Hfe  of  our 
Lord  did  not  end  at  his  death.  He  "was  carried  up  into  heaven." 
Luke  24 :  51.     He  is  the  living  Christ. 

"Warm,  sweet,  tender,  even  yet 
A  present  help  is  he; 
And  faith  has  still  its  Olivet, 
And  love  its  Galilee." 

THE  METHOD 
The  purpose  of  this  chapter  and  the  following  chapter  is  to  outhne 
briefly  the  life  of  our  Lord.  This  chapter  will  carry  us  to  the  end  of 
the  second  year  of  his  public  ministry.  The  feeding  of  the  five  thou- 
sand, recorded  in  all  the  four  Gospels,  serves  as  a  mark  of  time  dividing 
the  second  and  the  third  years  of  his  public  ministry.  Matt.  14 :  13- 
23;   Mark  6:  30-46;  Luke  9:  10-17;   John  6:  1-15. 

THE  OUTLINE 
A  simple  and  comprehensive  outline  of  the  life  of  our  Lord  will 
enable  us  to  group  our  material,  to  master  the  historical  relations, 
and  to  retain  the  facts  in  memory. 
I.  The  wondrous  birth. 
II.  The  years  of  preparation. 
III.  The  acceptance  of  his  mission. 
'     IV.  The  preliminary  period  of  his  public  ministry. 
V.  The  first  active  period  of  his  public  ministry. 
17 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

VI.  The  middle  active  period  of  his  pubHc  ministry. 

VII.  The  final  active  period  of  his  pubHc  ministry. 
VIII.  The  Passion  week. 

IX.  The  resurrection  and  ascension. 
This  chapter  deals  with  five  of  these  sections. 

I.  The  Wondrous  Birth 

The  Time.— Probably  December,  5  B.C. 

The  Place. — Bethlehem  of  Judea. 

The  Record.— Matt.  1 :  1  to  2:23;  Luke  1 :  1  to  2:39;  John  1 :  1-18. 

The  Bible  record  should  be  carefully  read  and  the  simplicity  of  its 
outline  followed.  Genealogical  tables  tracing  the  ancestry  of  Jesus 
are  given  in  Matthew  and  Luke.  Matthew  traces  Jesus'  ancestry 
back  to  Abraham;  Luke  traces  it  back  to  "Adam,  the  son  of  God." 
The  Gospel  narrative  may  be  outHned  as  follows: 

1 .  The  annunciation. — At  their  homes  in  Nazareth  both  Mary  and 
Joseph  were  supernaturally  informed  of  the  manner  and  the  purpose 
of  the  birth  of  Jesus.  The  narrative  also  relates  the  birth  of  John, 
the  forerunner. 

2.  The  nativity. — Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea,  whither 
Joseph  and  Mary  had  gone  to  enroll  themselves  in  their  own  tribe, 
the  tribe  of  David,  in  accordance  with  the  Roman  decree. 

3.  The  adoration. — The  stable  and  the  manger  cradle  became  the 
center  of  the  world's  worship.  The  shepherds  who  had  heard  the 
song  of  the  angels  came  thither  to  wonder  and  adore.  The  Wise 
Men  from  the  East  came  with  their  gifts  and  their  gold  to  lay  at  his 
feet. 

4.  The  presentation. — When  eight  days  old,  in  accordance  with  the 
Jewish  law,  the  child  was  taken  to  the  Temple  and  received  the  name 
of  Jesus.  A  month  later  he  was  presented  in  the  Temple  for  dedica- 
tion according  to  the  rites  of  the  Jewish  religion  and  was  received  and 
acknowledged  there  by  Simeon  as 

"A  light  for  revelation  to  the  Gentiles, 
And  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel." 

5.  The  flight. — The  Wise  Men,  warned  of  God,  returned  not  to 
Herod,  the  king,  and  Herod  who  feared  for  his  throne  ordered  the 

18 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

massacre  of  children  under  two  years.  Being  warned  in  a  dream, 
Joseph  and  Mary  took  the  young  child  and  fled  into  Egypt.  Later, 
guided  by  God  they  returned  to  their  home  in  Nazareth. 

II.  The  Years  of  Preparation 

The  Place. — Jesus'  home  at  Nazareth. 

The  Record.— Matt.  2  :  23;  Luke  2  :  39-52. 

This  period  has  been  called  "the  silent  years."  The  silence  is 
broken  only  by  the  incident  of  Jesus'  visit  to  Jerusalem  when  he  was 
twelve  years  old.  The  record  bears  eloquent  testimony  to  his  fihal 
loyalty  and  his  serious  preparation  for  his  Hfe's  work.  His  education 
followed  the  course  of  all  Jewish  children  and  his  childhood  was  nat- 
ural and  normal.  The  visit  to  the  Temple  reveals  to  us  the  mystery 
of  his  person  and  anticipates  his  spiritual  mission. 

HI.  The  Acceptance  of  His  Mission 

The  Places. — Jordan  and  the  wilderness. 

The  Record.— Matt.  3  : 1  to4 :  11 ;  Mark  1 : 1-13;  Luke  3  : 1  to  4 :  13. 

After  eighteen  years  of  silence  Jesus  stepped  forth  ready  for  his 
hfe  work.  He  had  been  preparing  himself  for  thirty  years  and  his 
ministry  was  finished  in  three. 

1 .  The  ministry  of  John. — John's  life  was  linked  with  that  of  Jesus, 
and  after  thirty  years  of  preparation,  he  came  forth  to  herald  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah.  He  called  the  nations  to  repentance  and 
testified  to  the  claim  of  Jesus. 

2.  The  baptism. — Among  those  who  came  to  receive  baptism  at 
John's  hands  was  Jesus.  At  his  baptism  he  was  openly  acknowledged, 
came  into  possession  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  fullness,  and  accepted 
the  divine  call. 

3.  The  temptation. — Conscious  of  his  divine  mission  Jesus  was  led 
by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  and  faced,  in  a  threefold  temptation, 
the  responsibility  which  power  always  brings,  choosing  the  path  of 
service  and  sacrifice  that  at  last  led  to  the  cross. 

IV.  The  Preliminary  Period  of  His  Public  Ministry 
The  Places. — Judea  mainly,  but  also  Galilee. 
The  Time.— Winter,  A.D.  26,  to  near  passover,  A.D.  27. 

19 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

The  Record.— John  1 :  1  to  4 :  54. 

Principal  Events. — (1)  The  witness  of  John  to  Jesus.  (2)  The  first 
disciples.  (3)  The  first  miracle.  (4)  First  cleansing  of  the  Temple. 
(5)  Nicodemus.  (6)  Witness  of  John.  (7)  The  Samaritan  woman. 
(8)  The  nobleman's  son.     (9)  Rejection  at  Nazareth. 

Teaching  Conclusions. — 1.  Notice  that  Jesus'  earliest  pubUc  min- 
istry was  carried  on  in  Judea  and  is  recorded  only  in  John's  Gospel. 

2.  John  shows  us  how  Jesus  Hngered  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  Bap- 
tist and  gradually  gained  his  disciples  from  among  John's  followers. 

3.  Jesus  still  made  Nazareth  his  home,  and  the  marriage  at  Cana 
belonged  to  his  private  and  family  relationships.  The  first  miracle 
grew  out  of  a  natural,  normal  situation. 

4.  The  cleansing  of  the  Temple  was  his  first  public  challenge  to 
Judaism.  ''Destroy  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up." 
John  2 :  19. 

V.  The  First  Active  Period  of  His  Public  Ministry 

The  Places. — Gahlee,  but  also  Jerusalem. 

The  Time.— From  Pentecost  A.D.  27  to  before  passover  A.D.  28. 

The  Record.— Matt.  4:  12  to  14:  12;  Mark  1 :  14  to  6:  29;  Luke 
4:  14  to  9:9;  John,  ch.  5. 

Principal  Events. — (1)  The  call  of  four  disciples.  (2)  A  day  of 
miracles  at  Capernaum.  (3)  The  paralytic.  (4)  Call  of  Matthew. 
(5)  Pool  of  Bethesda.  (6)  Disciples  plucking  grain.  (7)  Man  with 
withered  hand.  (8)  The  Twelve.  (9)  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  (10) 
The  centurion.  (11)  Widow  of  Nain.  (12)  The  Baptist's  message. 
(13)  Simon  the  Pharisee.  (14)  Parables  by  sea.  (15)  StiUing  the 
tempest.  (16)  The  demoniac.  (17)  Jairus'  daughter.  (18)  The 
blind  men.  (19)  Second  rejection  at  Nazareth.  (20)  Mission  of  the 
Twelve.     (21)  Death  of  John  the  Baptist. 

Teaching  Conclusions. — 1.  Notice  the  importance  Jesus  placed 
upon  the  choice  and  training  of  the  Twelve.  First  of  all  Jesus  selected 
his  leaders.  He  chose  them  not  for  their  social  standing  but  for 
their  moral  fitness. 

2.  Jesus  emphasized  "the  kingdom."  He  gradually  made  clear 
the  difference  between  his  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom  and  that  proclaimed 
by  the  Baptist.     "The  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you." 

20 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

3.  This  period  is  rich  in  miracles  as  signs  of  Messianic  authority. 
They  are  not  merely  wonders  but  revelations  and  signs  revealing  the 
truth,  the  mercy,  and  the  love  of  God. 

4.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  people  for  Jesus  knew  no  bounds.  They 
were  ready  to  make  him  a  king,  but  he  was  not  deceived  and  popu- 
larity did  not  lead  him  from  his  chosen  path.  On  the  other  hand  the 
Pharisees  grew  more  and  more  bitter  toward  him,  criticized  and 
opposed  him,  and  hoped  for  his  overthrow. 

5.  Jesus  was  reticent  about  himself.  The  truth  concerning  his 
person  and  word  dawned  gradually  as  he  revealed  himself.  He  did 
not  force  himself  or  his  claim,  but  Hkened  himself  to  a  sower  who 
sows  good  seed  and  expects  the  harvest.  By  and  by  the  veil  will  be 
lifted  and  he  will  stand  revealed. 

Summary. — The  three  years  of  Jesus'  public  ministry  have  been 
named,  The  Year  of  Obscurity,  The  Year  of  Popularity,  The  Year  of 
Opposition.  The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  marks  the  height  of  his 
popularity,  for  then  the  people  came  "by  force,  to  make  him  a  king." 
John  6 :  15. 

Thus  the  issue  was  clearly  defined.  Jesus  had  in  his  teaching  and 
his  life  set  forth  the  principles  of  his  Kingdom  and  the  nature  of  his 
gospel.  His  was  a  Kingdom  of  love  and  truth,  and  not  of  emperors 
and  kings.  When  he  refused  to  satisfy  the  longings  of  the  people  for 
a  gospel  of  physical  well-being  and  political  revolution,  they  were  dis- 
illusioned and  turned  from  him  in  despair.  They  accepted  the  bread 
that  perisheth  and  refused  the  Bread  of  life.     John  6 :  27-35. 

Disappointed  with  the  outcome  Jesus  welcomed  the  crisis.  The 
truth  was  making  headway  and  the  people  were  at  last  conscious  of 
the  inevitableness  of  their  choice.  The  cross  had  already  begun  to 
throw  its  shadow  over  his  path  and  from  this  time  on  Jesus  withdrew 
into  semiprivacy.  He  henceforth  became  the  teacher  of  his  disciples 
rather  than  the  preacher  to  the  multitudes.  He  began  in  a  real  sense 
the  training  of  the  Twelve. 

The  popularity  of  Jesus  reacted  also  upon  the  leaders  of  the  people. 
Luke  tells  us  that  Herod  sought  to  kill  him.  Luke  13  :  31.  Jesus  sought 
safety  for  himself  and  his  cause  in  quieter  places  than  Galilee  could 
provide.  Before  he  left  his  "own "  he  poured  out  his  heart  in  love  and 
sorrow  over  the  destiny  of  the  cities  that  had  welcomed  and  then 

21 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

rejected  him.  Matt.  11:20-24.  The  Fourth  Gospd  sums  up  the 
result  of  his  appeal  in  a  few  short  graphic  words,  "He  came  unto 
his  own,  and  they  that  were  his  own  received  him  not."    John  1:11. 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Stevens  and  Burton. — "A  Harmony  of  the  Gospel  for  Historical 
Study." 

Stalker.— ''The  Life  of  Christ."     Chs.  HI,  IV,  V. 

Bible  Dictionaries. — Article  on  "Jesus  Christ." 

Rhees. — "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."     Sections  45-149. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  Kingdom  of  God? 

2.  What  is  a  miracle? 

3.  Why  did  Jesus  speak  in  parables? 

4.  Why  did  Jesus  place  the  emphasis  upon  the   training  of   the 
Twelve? 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  mark  of  time  is  given  in  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand? 

2.  Give  in  outline  the  main  periods  of  the  Hfe  of  Christ. 

3.  What  events  are  connected  with  the  birth  of  Jesus? 

4.  What  education  did  Jesus  receive  in  Nazareth,  and  under  whom? 

5.  Why  did  Jesus  submit  to  baptism  which  symbolized  repentance? 

6.  Why  did  the  temptation  follow  the  baptism  so  quickly? 

7.  What  conclusions  can  be  drawn  from  the  prehminary  ministry 
of  Jesus  in  Judea? 

8.  Review  the  conclusions  drawn  from  the  first  active  period  of  his 
ministry. 


22 


STUDY  IV 
THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

PART  II:    FROM  THE  FEEDING  OF  THE  FIVE  THOUSAND  TO 
THE  ASCENSION 

We  continue  our  study  of  the  progress  and  development  of  the  Hfe 
of  Christ.  We  are  to  analyze  here  the  events  and  teachings  connected 
with  the  last  year  of  his  ministry.  We  have  already  seen  that  Jesus, 
up  to  this  time,  has  presented  the  main  teachings  of  his  gospel.  The 
seed  has  been  sown,  the  harvest  is  now  to  ripen.  "It  was  not  an  acci- 
dent that  Christianity  is  the  religion  of  the  Crucified.  The  cross  is 
but  the  culminating  expression  of  the  spirit  which  was  characteristic 
of  it  throughout.  Its  peculiar  note  is  victory  through  suffering" 
(Sanday).     We  conclude  the  outline  given  in  the  last  chapter. 

VI.  The  Middle  Active  Period  of  His  Public  Ministry 

The  Places. — Galilee  and  the  north  country. 

The  Time. — Passover  to  feast  of  tabernacles,  A.D.  28. 

The  Record.— Matt.  14 :  13  to  18  :  35;  Mark  6 :  30  to  9 :  50;  Luke 
9:  10-50;   John,  ch.  6. 

Principal  Events. — (1)  Feeding  of  five  thousand.  (2)  Walking  on 
water.  (3)  Bread  of  Life  discourse.  (4)  Unwashed  hands.  (5) 
Tyre  and  Sidon.  (6)  Decapolis.  (7)  The  four  thousand.  (8)  Bhnd 
man.  (9)  Peter's  confession.  (10)  Transfiguration.  (11)  Demoniac 
boy.     (12)  Shekel  in  fish's  mouth.     (13)  Discourse  on  humility. 

Teaching  Conclusions. — 1.  After  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand 
the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  reached  its  cHmax.  They  wished  to 
take  Jesus  immediately  and  make  him  their  king.  Jesus,  however, 
realizing  their  misinterpretation  of  his  purposes,  escaped  from  them. 
From  this  point  the  people  fell  away;  they  were  disappointed.  Jesus 
was  satisfied  for  he  would  not  win  a  following  that  would  be  disillu- 
sioned by  false  hopes. 

23 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

2.  The  opposition  of  the  Pharisees  became  open  antagonism  and 
Jesus  openly  denounced  them  and  their  purposes. 

3.  In  Peter's  great  confession,  Matt.  16 :  13-20,  the  faith  of  the 
disciples  found  its  first  expression.  At  last  Jesus  was  able  to  create 
in  one  man  a  true  faith.     On  this  living  faith  Jesus  built  the  Church. 

4.  Jesus  accepted  the  disciples'  faith  and  led  them  on  to  a  truer 
understanding.  In  the  transfiguration  his  glory  was  manifested  to 
them  and  his  own  death  disclosed  to  himself. 

5.  This  period  becomes  as  it  were  the  "Great  Divide"  in  the  Hfe 
of  Jesus.  The  great  confession  and  the  transfiguration  are  followed 
by  the  conscious  acceptance  of  the  cross. 

VII.  The' Final  Active  Period  or  His  Public  Ministry 

The  Places. — Judea  and  Perea. 

The  Time. — The  last  six  months  of  Jesus'  life. 

The  Record.— Matt.  19  :  1  to  20  :  34;  Mark,  ch.  10;  Luke  9  :  51  to 
19:28;   John  7:11-52. 

Principal  Events. — (1)  The  feast  of  tabernacles.  (2)  The  con- 
demned woman.  (3)  The  discourse  on  the  Light  of  the  world.  (4) 
The  mission  of  the  Seventy.  (5)  The  Good  Samaritan.  (6)  Feast  of 
dedication.  (7)  Woes  against  Pharisees.  (8)  Woman  healed  on 
Sabbath.  (9)  Warning  against  Herod.  (10)  Pharisee's  supper. 
(11)  Parables  of  Lost  Sheep,  Lost  Coin,  Prodigal  Son.  (12)  Parables 
of  warning.  (13)  Lazarus.  (14)  Ten  Lepers.  (15)  Parable  of 
Pharisee  and  Publican.  (16)  Divorce.  (17)  Little  children.  (18) 
Rich  young  ruler.  (19)  Ambition  of  James  and  John.  (20)  Bhnd 
man.     (21)  Zacchaeus.     (22)  Anointing  at  Bethany. 

Teaching  Conclusions. — 1.  The  intimate  description  of  what  takes 
place  during  these  momentous  days  we  owe  chiefly  to  John's  Gospel. 

2.  The  emphasis  in  this  period  changes  from  the  Kingdom  to  the 
person  of  the  King.  The  teaching  is  overshadowed  by  the  Teacher 
and  the  truth  by  life. 

3.  W^e  see  clearly  that  Jesus'  death  is  not  accidental.  He  knew 
what  would  take  place  at  Jerusalem.  **At  the  end  of  the  avenue 
stood  a  cross,  and  the  Saviour  of  men  walked  up  to  it  as  if  it  had  been 
p.  crown." 

24 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

VIII.  The  Passion  Week 

The  Places. — Jerusalem  and  Bethany. 

The  Time.— Passover,  A.D.  29. 

The  Record.— Matt.  21 :  1  to  27  :  66;  Mark  11 :  1  to  15  :  47;  Luke 
19  :  29  to  23  :  56;   John  12  :  12  to  19  :  42. 

The  Week's  Events. — Sunday,  The  Day  of  Triumph:  the  tri- 
umphal entry.  Monday,  The  Day  of  Authority:  the  barren  fig  tree; 
cleansing  of  the  Temple.  Tuesday,  The  Day  of  Conflict:  the  fig 
tree  withered;  parables  of  Two  Sons  and  Wicked  Husbandman, 
Marriage  of  the  King's  Son;  three  questions  about  tribute,  resurrec- 
tion, and  the  Commandments;  woes  against  Pharisees;  widow's 
two  mites;  the  Greeks;  prediction  concerning  the  Temple;  discourse 
about  the  end  of  the  world;  parables  of  Ten  Virgins  and  Talents; 
conspiracy  of  Judas.  Wednesday,  The  Day  of  Retirement:  no 
record.  Thursday,  The  Day  of  Fellowship:  The  Last  Supper; 
Christ's  farewell.  Friday,  The  Day  of  Suffering:  Gethsemane;  the 
arrest;  the  trial;  the  crucifixion;  the  burial.  Saturday,  The  Day  of 
Silence:  The  watch  at  the  tomb. 

Teaching  Conclusions. — 1.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  about  sixty 
per  cent  of  all  the  writing  of  the  four  Gospels  belongs  to  the  closing 
year  and  nearly  fifty  per  cent  to  ten  days.  Nearly  a  third  of  John's 
Gospel  deals  with  the  last  twenty-four  hours  of  Jesus'  Hfe.  The  im- 
portant teaching  in  the  hfe  of  Jesus  must  surely  be  his  death  and  resur- 
rection. 

2.  Jesus'  death  was  his  own  doing.  No  man  took  his  hfe  from  him. 
He  had  "power  to  lay  it  down,"  and  "power  to  take  it  again."  He 
"loved  me  and  gave  himself  up  for  me."     Gal.  2  :  20. 

3.  There  runs  through  the  record  the  sure  sense  of  victory.  Jesus 
will  rise  from  the  dead.  He  will  come  again.  The  Lord's  Supper  is 
to  be  observed  "till  he  come."     I  Cor.  11 :  26. 

IX.  The  Resurrection  and  Ascension 
The  Time. — From  Easter  to  the  ascension,  forty  days. 
The  Record.— Matt.,  ch.  28;   Mark,  ch.  16;   Luke,  ch.  24;   John, 
chs.  20,  21. 

Principal  Events. — (1)  The  women's  visit.  (2)  The  visit  of  Peter 
and  John.     (3)  Appearance  to  Mary  Magdalene.     (4)  Appearance  to 

25 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

the  women.  (5)  Report  of  the  guard.  (6)  Appearance  to  Peter. 
(7)  The  walk  to  Emmaus.  (8)  Appearance  to  ten  disciples.  (9) 
Appearance  to  disciples  and  Thomas.  (10)  Appearance  to  seven 
disciples  in  Galilee.  (11)  Appearance  to  many  disciples  on  the 
mountain.  (12)  The  ascension.  (13)  Conclusion  of  John's  Gospel. 
Teaching  Conclusions. — 1.  The  Christian  Church  was  born  on 
Easter  Day.  The  faith  of  the  disciples  became  a  reality  when  the 
resurrection  became  a  fact. 

2.  Christ  Ungered  on  earth  long  enough  to  reveal  the  truth  of  his 
resurrection. 

3.  His  ascension  was  his  return  to  the  right  hand  of  power,  the  Sa- 
viour and  Redeemer  of  men. 

Summary. — 1.  One  fact  stands  out  preeminently  in  the  develop- 
ment of  Christ's  life  and  work,  namely,  the  certainty  of  the  cross. 
Steadfastly  he  "  set  his  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem."  Luke  9 :  5L  Dur- 
ing this  last  year  of  his  ministry  he  announced  his  coming  death: 
(a)  After  Peter's  great  confession,  Mark  8:  31;  (b)  After  the  trans- 
figuration, Mark  9:31;  (c)  On  his  way  up  to  Jerusalem  the  last  time. 
IMark  10 :  32-34.  He  knew  there  was  nothing  accidental  about  the 
cross.  It  lay  at  the  end  of  the  path,  the  path  he  had  voluntarily 
chosen.  The  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  shortly  before  his 
death  revealed  his  knowledge  and  his  interpretation  of  his  death. 

2.  A  second  fact  must  be  evident  to  all  who  read  closely  the  record 
of  this  last  year.  Death  to  Jesus  was  the  gate  of  Hfe.  When  he 
spoke  of  his  death  he  went  right  on  to  speak  of  his  resurrection.  The 
w^ordsof  Jesus  about  the  Good  Shepherd,  John  10:  1-18,  throw  light 
upon  the  consciousness  of  Jesus.  "The  good  shepherd  layeth  down 
his  Ufe  for  the  sheep."  The  complete  Gospel  contains  the  combined 
message:  "Jesus  died  and  rose  again." 

3.  The  last  year  of  Christ's  public  ministry  was  largely  given  up  to 
the  training  of  his  twelve  disciples.  This  fact  casts  light  upon  the 
true  method  of  organizing  the  Church  for  the  winning  of  the  world. 
Christ's  method  was  educational.  He  sought  to  train  leaders.  It 
further  interprets  to  us  Jesus'  conception  of  rehgion.  Religion  is  Hfe. 
He  -chose  his  disciples  "that  they  might  be  with  him."  Jesus  wrote 
no  book  and  formulated  no  system  of  doctrine.  He  imparted  his  Hfe 
and  spirit  to  his  followers,  and  his  Spirit  has  conquered  the  world. 

26 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST 

4.  When  the  Gospels  close  the  last  note  is  the  note  of  joy.  The 
disciples  returned  to  Jerusalem  "with  great  joy."  Luke  24 :  52.  The 
Christ  of  history  became  the  Christ  of  experience  and  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth the  living  Lord.  Years  after  Paul  interpreted  the  fact  of  the 
ascension  in  his  epistle  to  the  Ephesians.  Christ  "ascended  far  above 
all  the  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things."  Eph.  4:  8-10.  The 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  continuation  of  what  Jesus  "began 
both  to  do  and  to  teach."  Acts  1 :  L  Jesus  Christ  still  continues  his 
work.  "The  work  of  the  present  age  of  human  history  is  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  ends  for  which  Christ  came;  in  Christ  therefore 
God  is  conducting  human  history"  (Clarke).  We,  too,  take  up  the 
words  of  the  Te  Deum,  the  great  hymn  of  the  early  Church,  and  sing: 

"Thou  art  the  King  of  Glory  O  Christ. 
Thou  art  the  everlasting  Son  of  the  Father." 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Rhees.— "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."     Sections  150-222. 
Stalker.— "The  Life  of  Christ."     Chs.  VI,  VII. 
Bible  Dictionaries. — Article  on  "Jesus  Christ." 
Stevens  and  Burton. — "A  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  for  Historical 
Study." 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  Gather  the  references  Jesus  makes  to  his  own  death. 

2.  Account  for  the  lack  of  faith  of  the  disciples  after  the  cross. 

3.  Account  for  the  character  and  conduct  of  Judas. 

4.  Is  there  a  development  in  the  mind  of  Jesus  himself  concerning 
his  own  life  and  work? 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  OutHne  the  events  of  the  life  of  Christ. 

2.  Why  were  the  people  disappointed  in  Jesus? 

3.  Why  did  Jesus  refuse  to  be  made  a  king? 

4.  Account  for  the  antagonism  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees. 

5.  Why  did  Jesus  consider  Peter's  great  confession  so  important? 

6.  Show  that  the  writers  of  the  Gospels  placed  the  emphasis  upon 
the  death  of  Christ. 

7.  Explain  the  statement,  "Jesus'  death  was  not  accidental." 

8.  What  explanations  were  given  to  account  for  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus? 

9.  Where  is  Jesus  now? 

27 


STUDY  V 
THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  AS  TEACHING  MATERIAL 

Jesus  was  the  great  Teacher.  "We  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God."  John  3:2.  Even  his  enemies  admitted  his  su- 
perior claim  to  be  a  teacher.  "He  taught  ...  as  one  having 
authority."  Matt.  7 :  29.  Jesus,  however,  is  more  than  a  teacher. 
He  is  the  Truth.  He  not  only  suggests  the  method  but  provides  the 
message.  His  words  are  "spirit,  and  are  Ufe."  John  6:  63.  He  is 
more  than  Truth.  He  is  the  Way  and  the  Life.  He  himself  is  so 
much  greater  than  what  he  says.  His  teaching  is  consequently  in- 
formal, casual,  and  his  pulpit  is  wherever  he  is:  by  the  seaside,  in  the 
street,  among  the  hills,  at  the  table,  in  the  synagogue.  He  leads  men 
into  the  presence  of  God  and  brings  them  into  Hfe  abundant.  The 
question  of  Peter,  "Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?"  receives  still  the 
same  response,  "Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  Hfe." 

The  purpose  of  this  chapter  is  to  suggest  how  the  four  Gospels  may 
be  used  for  teaching  purposes. 

BIOGRAPHY 

Biography  is  always  fascinating,  and  nowhere  in  the  world  is  there 
such  a  vivid  portrayal  of  human  life  and  character  as  in  the  four 
Gospels.  In  a  certain  sense  the  Hfe  of  Christ  can  never  be  written, 
but  those  who  love  him  never  weary  of  following  his  earthly  foot- 
steps.    His  life  opens  up  great  avenues  of  human  interest. 

The  material  already  given  in  studies  HI  and  IV  is  of  first  and 
fundamental  importance. 

The  Ufe  of  Christ  is  not  isolated  from  human  history,  but  is  set 
down  among  the  lives  of  men.  To  understand  Jesus  we  must  know 
the  circumstances  and  times  in  which  he  Hved,  his  relation  to  the  Old 
Testament,  to  the  religion  of  his  day,  and  to  the  poHcies  and  move- 
ments of  the  government  under  which  he  lived. 

Jesus  lived  his  Hfe  in  a  small  world.  To  understand  the  atmos- 
phere in  which  he  Hved  we  should  know  something  of  the  lay  of  the 

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THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  AS  TEACHING  MATERIAL 

land,  the  scenery  that  met  his  eyes,  the  type  of  people  he  Hved  with, 
the  dimate,  lakes,  and  rivers,  the  commerce  and  trade  that  touched 
his  life. 

We  should  be  able  to  answer  the  question,  "How  knoweth  this 
man  letters,  having  never  learned?"  John  7:15.  His  knowledge  of 
the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  his  understanding  of  Hfe,  and  his  love 
of  nature  must  be  appreciated. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

There  is  in  the  four  Gospels  also  a  wealth  of  autobiography.  What 
has  been  called  "the  inner  Hfe  of  Jesus"  supplies  us  with  material  of 
great  importance.  What  did  Jesus  think  about  himself?  What  did 
he  say  of  himself,  and  what  personal  claims  did  he  make?  A  few  sug- 
gestions may  be  helpful. 

1.  He  claimed  a  unique  relationship  with  God. — He  said  that  he 
was  "the  Son  of  God."  "I  and  the  Father  are  one."  "He  that  hath 
seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father." 

2.  He  claimed  to  be  without  sin. — "Which  of  you  convicteth  me 
of  sin?"     He  never  prayed  for  forgiveness. 

3.  He  claimed  to  be  the  Saviour. — "The  good  shepherd  layeth 
down  his  life  for  the  sheep."  He  "came  not  to  be  ministered  unto, 
but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many." 

HIS  INFLUENCE  ON  OTHERS 
The  Hfe  of  Christ  touched  other  lives.  The  four  Gospels  are  crowded 
with  valuable  teaching  material  concerning  the  people  he  touched  in 
daily  life:  John  the  Baptist;  the  twelve  apostles,  especially  Peter, 
Judas,  James,  John,  Thomas,  Matthew,  and  Andrew;  Nicodemus; 
his  mother;   Herod;   Mary  Magdalene;   Pilate;   Mary;   Martha. 

There  is  also  much  suggestive  material  relating  to  his  influence  on 
groups  of  men:  The  Shepherds;  the  Wise  Men;  the  three  disciples, 
Peter,  James,  and  John;  the  women  who  ministered  to  him;  the 
Pharisees;  the  multitude;  his  own  family. 

HIS  ACTIONS 

Emerson's  saying,  "What  you  do  thunders  so  loud,  I  cannot  hear 
what  you  say,"  receives  an  unusual  interpretation  in  the  life  of  Christ. 

29 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

If  actions  speak  louder  than  words,  we  may  well  listen  to  what  Jesus 
does. 

1.  His  attitude  toward  others. — Little  children;  women;  his  ene- 
mies;  his  friends;   the  poor, 

2.  His  private  life. — His  habit  of  prayer;  his  love  of  nature;  hii 
simple  life. 

3.  His  miracles. — A  miracle  is  after  all  "a  parable  in  action.'' 
The  miracles  revealed  Jesus  at  work  and  bear  testimony  to  his  atti- 
tude toward  men  and  hfe.  John  called  Jesus'  miracles  "signs." 
If  you  follow  through  the  miracles  in  John's  Gospel  you  will  find  that 
each  has  a  moral  meaning  and  an  ethical  message. 

IMAGERY 

Jesus'  life  and  teaching  are  full  of  windows  through  which  one 
looks  out  on  life. 

1.  His  illustrations. — The  physician;  the  old  garment;  the  new 
wine;  the  porter;  the  thief;  the  king  going  forth  to  war;   the  tower. 

2.  His  similes. — A  little  child;  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves;  a 
hen  gathering  her  chickens;  whited  sepulchers;  salt;  a  narrow  gate; 
sheep's  clothing;  a  yoke;  lamps  burning;  bread  of  Ufe;  water  of 
life;  vine  and  branches;  grain  of  wheat. 

PREACHING 

The  Gospels  give  us  striking  evidence  of  the  character  of  Christ's 
continued  discourses.  Matthew  records  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
and  also  Jesus'  commission  to  the  Twelve,  as  well  as  other  discourses. 
John,  too,  gives  us  several  remarkable  discourses,  e.  g.,  "The  Bread  of 
Life,"  "The  Light  of  the  World,"  "The  Vine  and  the  Branches." 

The  Teacher  and  His  Method 
Jesus'  method  has  a  charm  all  its  own  and  a  variety  that  fascinates. 
He  pours  his  material  into  beautiful  molds  and  paints  word  pictures 
that  all  men  can  see.  What  Henry  Drummond  said  of  preaching  is 
equally  true  of  teaching — "It  is  not  our  business  to  prove  things  but 
to  make  men  see  things."  Let  us  try  to  catch  the  secret  of  the  Mas- 
ter's method. 

30 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  AS  TEACHING  MATERIAL 

1.  He  studied  the  value  of  words. — His  speech  is  simphcity  itself. 
He  taught  "in  the  speech  a  mother  speaks  to  her  child." 

2.  He  put  his  thought  into  words  that  memory  could  hold. — Many 
of  his  words  have  become  proverbs. 

3.  He  sought  for  the  quality  of  surprise. — Many  of  his  sayings  seem 
on  the  surface  contradictory  and  paradoxical.  "Whosoever  shall 
lose  his  Hfe  ,  .  .  shall  find  it."  "Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit." 
"He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me."  "He  that  is  not  against  you 
is  for  you." 

4.  He  used  parables. — He  put  his  thought  into  the  form  of  a  story. 
A  parable  has  really  one  main  lesson:  "The  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
like."  This  was  Jesus'  supreme  art.  The  parables  have  been  vari- 
ously classified.     Dr.  Bruce  uses  this  division: 

(a)  Theoretic  parables,  e.  g.,  of  the  Sower,  the  Tares,  the  Treasure, 
the  Leaven,  the  Unjust  Judge,  the  Talents. 

(b)  Parables  of  grace,  e.  g.,  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  the  Lost  Coin,  the 
Lost  Son,  the  Good  Samaritan,  Dives  and  Lazarus. 

(c)  Parables  of  judgment,  e.  g.,  of  the  Two  Sons,  the  Wicked  Hus- 
bandman, the  Ten  Virgins. 

Jesus  knew  that  "teaching  is  not  telling."  We,  too,  must  as 
Browning  says,  "make  truth  look  true." 

The  Teacher  and  His  Message 
One  may  have  a  form  of  words  without  a  message.  Jesus  had 
both.  Like  a  current  that  carves  its  own  course  through  the  hills,  so 
Jesus'  thought  ran  out  into  molds  that  have  preserved  it  for  us.  He 
crystallized  his  teaching  into  what  is  called  "The  Golden  Rule." 
He  enunciated  two  great  principles:  (1)  The  Fatherhood  of  God. 
(2)  The  Brotherhood  of  Man. 

The  teaching  of  Jesus  explained  and  interpreted  has  filled  many 
volumes.  A  few  suggestions  are  here  given  concerning  the  material 
at  our  disposal. 

1.  His  teaching  about  God. — Jesus  assumed  the  existence  of  God. 
He  taught  that  God  is  a  Spirit,  John  4 :  24;  God  is  Light,  John  9:5; 
God  is  Love,  John  3  :  16;  God  is  Life,  John  14 :  6,  In  a  word,  God  is 
our  Father.     Matt.  7:  11. 

2.  His  teaching  about  man.— Matt.  16:26;    12:12.     He  taught 

31 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

the  infinite  value  of  the  individual,  the  havoc  wrought  by  sin,  the  need 
of  salvation,  the  brotherhood  of  all  men.  The  three  parables  in  Luke, 
chapter  15,  possess  invaluable  teaching. 

3.  His  teaching  about  the  Kingdom. — Matthew  calls  Jesus'  teach- 
ing "the  gospel  of  the  kingdom."  Jesus  asked  us  to  pray,  "Thy 
kingdom  come."  This  kingdom  is  the  reign  of  God  in  the  hearts  of 
men.  It  is  a  spiritual  kingdom.  "The  kingdom  of  God  is  within 
you."  The  material  connected  with  the  subject  is  extensive  and 
interesting. 

4.  His  teaching  about  prayer. — The  disciples  asked  him  to  teach 
them  to  pray.  Luke  11:1-13.  He  gave  them  a  model  prayer. 
His  was  a  wonderful  prayer  Ufe,  both  for  himself  and  for  others. 

5.  His  teaching  about  forgiveness. — He  commanded  men  to  for- 
give even  their  enemies,  Mark  11 :  25,  and  made  divine  forgiveness 
dependent  upon  a  forgiving  spirit.  His  teaching  on  this  subject  is 
revolutionizing. 

6.  His  teaching  about  social  service. — He  defined  the  duty  of  ser- 
vice in  such  parables  as  the  Good  Samaritan  and  the  Lost  Sheep. 
He  included  all  men  of  all  races  in  his  plans,  and  out  of  his  teaching 
has  grown  the  foreign  mission  program  of  the  Christian  Church. 

7.  His  teaching  about  ethics. — There  is  material  for  teaching  in 
his  words  and  attitude  concerning  (1)  the  family;  (2)  the  State; 
(3)  the  Church;  (4)  business.  He  has  practical  guidance  to  give  as  to 
(1)  wealth;  (2)  poverty;  (3)  worry;  (4)  humihty;  (5)  friendship; 
(6)  work;    (7)  happiness. 

8.  His  teaching  about  doctrine. — ^Apart  from  the  great  doctrines  of 
God,  Jesus  lifts  the  veil  concerning  (1)  his  own  death;  (2)  the 
resurrection;  (3)  his  second  coming;  (4)  the  judgment;  (5)  the 
immortal  hope. 

The  Teacher  and  His  Mission 
A  word  frequently  on  the  lips  of  Jesus,  used  of  himself,  is  the  word 
"Come."  "The  Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which 
was  lost."  "I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  re- 
pentance." It  involves  a  fixed  purpose.  His  name  was  called  Jesus. 
Saviour.  He  came  to  do  what  he  did.  He  came  to  die,  and  around 
his  death  the  teaching  of  the  gospel  centers.     The  shadow  of  the 

32 


THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  AS  TEACHING  MATERIAL 

cross  lies  across  all  his  life.  His  death  was  more  than  martyrdom; 
it  was  a  sacrificial  service,  an  atonement.  Luke  12:49,  50;  Mark 
10 :  45.  The  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  symbolizes  this  re- 
demptive work  of  Jesus.  Certainly  his  death  occupied  a  large  place 
in  his  own  thoughts.  His  resurrection  was  the  divine  seal  upon  his 
claim  and  the  pledge  of  his  divine  power.  His  ascension  released  his 
Spirit  that  he  might  fill  all  things  and  carry  on  the  work  he  came  to  do. 
He  asserted  confidently  that  he  would  return  a  second  time.  While 
it  is  true  that  he  comes  by  his  Spirit  into  the  hearts  of  men,  and  in 
great  crises  and  movements  of  human  history,  it  still  remains  for  him 
to  come  a  second  time  apart  from  sin  unto  salvation. 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Speer.— "The  Man  Christ  Jesus." 
FoSDiCK.— "The  Manhood  of  the  Master." 
Stalker.— "The  Life  of  Christ." 
Rhees.— "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth." 

Books  that  deal  with  the  parables,  the  miracles,  the  teaching  of 
Jesus. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  The  impossibihty  of  writing  a  true  life  of  Christ. 

2.  The  importance  of  Jesus'  opinion  of  himself. 

3.  The  teaching  of  Jesus  and  the  finding  of  modern  pedagogy. 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  Why  is  Jesus  different  from  all  other  teachers? 
^  2.  What  teaching  material  is  presented  to  us  in  the  life  of  Christ 
viewed  as  biography? 

3.  In  what  sense  do  the  four  Gospels  contain  autobiography? 

4.  Was  the  influence  of  Jesus  upon  people  always  the  same? 

5.  What  is  the  teaching  value  of  a  parable? 

6.  How  can  the  miracles  be  called  parables  in  action? 

7.  Summarize  the  teaching  of  Jesus  concerning  God,  man,  sin, 
salvation,  prayer,  and  social  service. 

8.  How  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  related  to  the  life  of  Jesus? 


33 


STUDY  VI 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  LITTLE 
CHILDREN 

By  "little  children"  we  mean  boys  and  girls  up  to  the  age  of  nine, 
the  period  of  early  and  middle  childhood,  including  children  enrolle  i 
in  the  graded  system  of  the  Sunday  school  in  the  Beginners  and  Pri- 
mary departments.  In  this  study  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  the 
pedagogical  principles  based  upon  child  psychology-  have  been  mas- 
tered. 

The  briefest  of  outUnes  must  suffice  here.  While  there  is  a  dis- 
tinctive difference  between  the  children  of  the  Beginners  and  the 
Primary  grades,  a  few  common  characteristics  are  plainly  evident: 
(1)  Imagination:  A  vivid  imagination  is  the  priceless  possession  of 
childhood.  (2)  Curiosity:  The  instinct  for  knowledge  is  very  marked. 
(3)  Imitation:  The  Kttle  child's  creed  is  personal.  (4)  Suggestion: 
Action  follows  close  upon  what  is  seen  and  heard. 

One  thing,  the  great  thing  all  little  children  have  in  common,  is 
the  liking  for  a  story.  This  is  the  story-telling  age,  and  a  good  story 
well  told  and  told  often,  meets  in  the  truest  way  the  pedagogical 
requirements  for  the  teaching  of  little  children — imagination,  curiosity, 
dramatic  action,  and  suggestibiHty.  The  hfe  of  Christ  furnishes  us 
with  the  fullest  and  most  satisfactory  material  for  the  rehgious 
education  of  little  children, 

STORIES  ABOUT  JESUS  HIMSELF 
"The  chief  reason,"  says  Anna  Buchland,  "why  some  people  can- 
not tell  stories  is  because  they  have  no  story  to  tell."  What  a  won- 
derful story  there  is  to  tell  about  Jesus!  For  two  thousand  years 
little  children  have  been  hearing  it  in  song  and  sermon,  in  rime  and 
picture,  with  unfaiKng  interest.  A  good  story-teller  could  make  the 
whole  Hfe  of  Christ  of  interest  to  little  children.  There  are,  however, 
stories  within  the  story  which  are  of  peculiar  worth  to  children  of 
the  Primary  and  Beginners  grades. 

34 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  LITTLE  CHILDREN 

1.  Stories  about  Jesus'  birth. — The  words  of  Luther's  hymn  have 
attracted  the  children  of  every  land. 

"Away  in  a  manger,  no  crib  for  a  bed, 
The  httle  Lord  Jesus  laid  down  his  sweet  head; 
The  stars  in  the  bright  sky  looked  down  where  he  lay — 
The  httle  Lord  Jesus  asleep  on  the  hay." 

(a)  The  story  of  the  birth  of  Jesus.     Matt.  1 :  18-25;  Luke  2  :  1-7. 

(b)  The  angels  and  the  shepherds.     Luke  2 :  8-20. 

(c)  The  Wise  Men  from  the  East.     Matt.  2 :  1-12. 

(d)  The  flight  into  Egypt.     Matt.  2 :  13-23. 

2.  Stories  about  his  childhood.— While  it  is  true  that  the  Gospel 
narratives  are  very  brief,  the  atmosphere  and  general  situation  sur- 
rounding the  childhood  of  other  Jewish  children  of  that  period  may 
be  used  in  making  the  childhood  of  Jesus  real. 

(a)  The  childhood  at  Nazareth.     Matt.  2  :  23;  Luke  2  :  39,  40. 

(b)  The  visit  to  Jerusalem.     Luke  2  :  41-50. 

(c)  The  carpenter  shop.     Matt.  13:55;   Mark  6:  3. 

3.  Stories  about  his  life. — Remembering  that  the  instinct  of  imi- 
tation and  power  of  suggestion  are  the  moral  motives  of  childhood, 
the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  Jesus'  life  should  be  made  very  clear  and 
appeahng.     A  few  incidents  in  his  life  may  well  be  emphasized. 

(a)  His  power.     The  cleansing  of  the  Temple.     John  2 :  13-22. 

(b)  His  glory.  The  transfiguration.  Matt.  17  :  1-13;  Mark  9 :  2- 
13;   Luke  9:28-36. 

(c)  His  love.     The  story  of  Zacchaeus.     Luke  19 :  1-10. 

(d)  His  prayer  life.  His  habit  of  prayer,  Luke  6:  12;  teaching 
his  disciples.  Matt.  6:9-13. 

4.  Stories  about  his  death  and  resurrection. — Jesus  never  spoke  of 
his  death  apart  from  his  resurrection.  He  never  spoke  of  the  cross 
without  the  Easter  hope.  The  disciples  were  just  little  children  and 
Jesus'  method  may  well  be  our  method.  Children  are  lovers  of  jus- 
tice and  moral  righteousness.  In  the  end  truth  triumphs.  For  this 
reason  the  emphasis,  for  children,  should  be  placed  upon  the  resurrec- 
tion and  the  Easter  victory. 

(a)  The  story  of  Judas.  Matt.  26:47-56;  Mark  14:43-52; 
Luke  22  :  47-53;  John  18 :  1-11. 

35 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

(b)  The  story  of  Pilate.  Matt.  27  :  11-31;  Mark  15  :  1-20;  Luke 
23:1-25;  John  18:28  to  19:16. 

(c)  The  story  of  the  resurrection.  Matt.  28:  1-10;  Mark  16: 1- 
11;  Luke  23:56  to  24:  12;  John  20:  1-18. 

(d)  The  story  of  the  Emmaus  disciples.  Mark  16:  12-13;  Luke 
24:13-35. 

(e)  The  appearance  to  disciples  and  Thomas.  Mark  16:  14;  John 
20 :  26-29. 

(f)  The  ascension.     Mark  16:  19;   Luke  24:44-53. 

The  story  and  messages  of  the  death  of  Christ  should  be  given  to 
Uttle  children  largely  through  the  method  of  indirect  suggestion. 
In  this  way  the  child  makes,  as  it  were,  the  great  discovery  for  himself. 


STORIES  ABOUT  JESUS  AND  LITTLE  CHILDREN 

There  are  a  few  very  appealing  stories  of  Jesus  and  Uttle  children. 

1.  The  childhood  of  John  the  Baptist.— Luke  1 :  5-80. 

2.  Jesus  and  the  children.— Matt.  19:13-15;  Mark  10:13-16; 
Luke  18:  15-17. 

3.  The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand.— Matt.  14:13-23;  Mark 
6:  30-46;  Luke  9:  10-17;  John  6:  1-15.  The  interest  of  this  story 
for  children  centers  in  the  person  of  the  Httle  lad  whose  lunch  Jesus 
used  to  perform  the  miracle. 

4.  The  nobleman's  son. — John  4 :  46-54. 

5.  The  little  daughter  of  Jairus.- Matt.  9:18-26;  Mark  5:21- 
43;  Luke  8:40-56. 


ILLUSTRATIONS  AS  PICTURE  STORIES 
We  recall  Henry  Drummond's  saying,  "Our  business  is  not  to  prove 
things  but  to  make  people  see  things."     This  was  Jesus'  purpose  and 
aim. 

1.  Illustrations  from  nature.— The  birds,  Matt.  6:  26;  the  flowers. 
Matt.  6 :  28;   the  trees,  Matt.  7  :  16-20;   Luke  6 :  43,  44. 

2.  The  house  on  the  sand.— Matt.  7:  24-27;   Luke  6:47-49. 

3.  The  physician.— Matt.  9  :  12;    Mark  2  :  17;   Luke  5  :  31. 

4.  The  shepherd.— John  10 :  1-18. 

36 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  LITTLE  CHILDREN 

THE  PARABLES  AS  TEACHING  STORIES 
The  parable  was  Jesus'  story  method.  The  hidden  meaning  of 
many  of  the  parables  is  beyond  little  children.  The  story,  however, 
is  often  fascinating,  and  children  should  be  left  to  draw  their  own 
conclusions.  "I'm  afraid  you  don't  understand,"  said  an  anxious 
mother  to  her  child.  "Yes,  mother,"  the  child  repHed,  "I'd  under- 
stand if  you  wouldn't  explain."  With  Uttle  children  there  is  too 
little  story  and  too  much  explanation. 

L  Parable  of  the  Sower  and  the  Seed.— Matt.  13:1-23;  Mark 
4:1-12;   Luke  8:4-10. 

2.  Parable  of  the  Hidden  Treasure.— Matt.  13  :  44. 

3.  Parable  of  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price.— Matt.  13  :  45,  46. 

4.  Parable  of  the  Mustard  Seed.— Matt.  13  :  31,  32. 

5.  Parable  of  the  Lost  Sheep. — Luke  15 :  1-7. 

6.  Parable  of  the  Lost  Coin. — Luke  15  :  8-10. 

7.  Parable  of  the  Selfish  Neighbor.— Luke  11 :  5-13. 

8.  Parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican.— Luke  18 :  9-14. 

9.  Parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan. — Luke  10:25-37. 

THE  MIRACLES  AS  ACTION  STORIES 

The  miracles  have  been  called  "parables  in  action."  Children 
like  the  sense  of  wonder,  and  beautiful  stories  can  be  made  from  some 
of  the  miracles  for  even  the  youngest  of  children. 

1.  The  marriage  at  Cana. — John  2:  1-11. 

2.  The  stilling  of  the  tempest.— Mark  4:  35-41. 

3.  Jesus  walking  on  the  water.— Matt.  14:22-33;  Mark  6:45- 
53;  John  6:  16-21. 

4.  The  ten  lepers.— Luke  17:  11-19. 

5.  The  man  born  blind. — John  9 :  1-7. 

6.  The  paralytic— Matt.  9:2-8;   Mark  2:  1-12;   Luke  5:  18-26. 

SOME  SUGGESTIONS 
1.  In  telling  these  stories  there  should  be  absolute  faithfulness  to 
detail.     This  requires  time  and  thought  and  much  study.     The  story 
itself  should  be  thoroughly  mastered   and  the  setting  of  the  story 
visualized. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

2.  The  story  itself  should  be  the  center  of  interest  and  should  not 
be  made  the  text  of  some  other  story. 

3.  Do  not  be  afraid  of  repeating  the  story.  Children  like  the 
familiar.  They  will  teach  the  teacher  fidelity  to  detail.  The  best 
story-tellers  tell  their  stories  over  and  over  again.  "I  would  rather 
be  the  children's  story-teller,"  says  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin,  "than  the 
queen's  favorite  or  the  king's  counselor." 

4.  Secure  all  the  help  you  can.  There  are  many  good  stories  of 
the  life  of  Christ  for  children.  Many  beautiful  and  suggestive  pic- 
tures and  photographs  can  be  secured.  Stereopticon  views  can  be 
readily  obtained.     A  good  life  of  Christ  is  a  necessity. 

5.  The  impression  is  the  great  thing  about  a  good  story.  It  creates 
an  atmosphere  in  which  prayer  and  praise  follow  naturally. 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."     Chs.  Ill,  IV. 
St.  John. — "Stories  and  Story-Telling." 
Phelps.— "The  Story  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Rhees.— "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth." 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  Why  we  separate  children  of  the  Beginners  and  Primary  grades. 

2.  The  essential  elements  in  a  good  story. 

3.  The  possibility  of  making  a  selection  of  material  from  the  life 
of  Christ  adapted  to  little  children.  What  changes  would  you  make 
in  the  outline  proposed  in  this  chapter? 

4.  Write  a  children's  story  on  the  subject  of  the  feeding  of  the  five 
thousand. 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  term  "Httle  children"? 

2.  What  are  the  mental  characteristics  of  Httle  children? 

3.  What  common  appeal  can  be  made  to  all  little  children? 

4.  Name  the  stories  about  Jesus  himself  which  will  appeal  to  chil- 
dren. 

5.  What  stories  have  we  in  the  Gospels  concerning  Jesus'  relation 
to  Uttle  children? 

6.  What  is  meant  by  speaking  of  illustrations  as  picture  stories? 

7.  What  parables  do  Uttle  children  like? 

8.  What  miracles  appeal  most  to  children?     Why? 

9.  In  telling  the  stories  of  the  life  of  Jesus  what  preparation  is 
necessary? 

38 


STUDY  VII 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  JUNIORS 

It  is  necessary  to  know  the  characteristics  of  the  boys  and  girls 
between  the  ages  of  nine  and  twelve  or,  according  to  the  new  grouping, 
approved  by  The  Sunday  School  Council,  nine  to  eleven,  inclusive, 
before  we  can  know  how  best  to  present  the  life  of  Christ  to  Juniors. 

1.  The  formation  of  habit. — The  brain  is  maturing  and  the  physi- 
cal basis  of  character  forming. 

2.  Mental  alertness. — The  child  of  this  age  is  anxious  to  know  and 
eager  to  read. 

3.  The  power  of  example. — The  awakening  of  hero  worship.  This  is 
the  age  when  children  personalize  their  ideals.  The  hero  of  their 
choice  may  be  worthy  or  unworthy. 

4.  The  power  of  memory. — This  is  memory's  "Golden  Age." 

If  the  liking  for  a  story  is  common  to  children  of  the  Beginners  and 
Primary  grades,  the  liking  for  a  continued  story,  better  known  as  his- 
tory, is  a  common  characteristic  of  Junior  children.  History,  simply 
and  beautifully  told,  without  detail,  has  all  the  quaUties  demanded — 
action,  heroism,  idealism,  reaHty,  and  intellectual  interest.  Keeping 
these  things  in  mind  we  may  proceed  to  outHne  for  the  Junior  child  a 
study  of  the  life  of  Christ. 

THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  AS  HISTORY 
The  Graded  System. — The  International  Graded  Lessons  for  the 
Junior  years  give  one  fourth  of  the  course  to  the  teaching  of  the  life 
of  Christ.  A  section  in  the  first  year  deals  with  the  parables  of  Jesus. 
A  section  in  the  second  year  deals  with  incidents  in  the  life  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  A  section  of  the  fourth  year  takes  up  half  the  year  with 
a  study  of  the  Gospel  of  Mark.  The  sense  of  sequence  and  con- 
tinuity is  sufficiently  developed  in  the  Junior  child  to  permit  of  a 
general  treatment  of  the  Hfe  of  Jesus — general  enough  to  admit  of 
continued  and  sustained  interest. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Outline  of  Mark's  Gospel. — The  Gospel  of  Mark  serves  well  the 
purpose  of  the  Junior  age.     The  following  outHne  will  be  helpful: 

1.  The  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist.     Mark  1  :  1-8. 

2.  The  baptism  and  temptation  of  Jesus.     Mark  1 :  9-13. 

3.  The  public  preaching  ministry.     Mark  1 :  14  to  8 :  26. 

(a)  First  period,  chs.  1 :  14  to  3 :  19. 

(b)  Second  period,  chs.  3  :  20  to  4 :  34. 

(c)  Third  period,  chs.  4 :  35  to  6:6. 

(d)  Fourth  period,  chs.  6 :  7  to  7 :  23. 

(e)  Fifth  period,  chs.  7  :  24  to  8 :  26. 

4.  The  private  preaching  ministry.     Mark  8:  27  to  10:  52. 

(a)  Peter's  great  confession,  chs.  8  :  27  to  9  :  1. 

(b)  The  transfiguration,  ch.  9 :  2-29. 

(c)  The  l&st  journey,  chs.  9 :  30  to  10 :  52. 

5.  The  ministry  of  judgment.     Jerusalem.     Mark,  chs.  11-13. 

6.  The  Passion  and  resurrection.     Mark,  chs.  14-16. 

A  Suggestion. — The  movement  of  the  life  of  Christ  should  not  be 
lost  in  detail.  Geographical  detail  should  not  be  emphasized.  The 
interest  is  in  biography,  not  geography.  Better  omit  detail  and  secure 
a  living  picture  of  Jesus.  Junior  children  demand  movement  and 
action,  and  movement  is  characteristic  of  Mark's  Gospel.  His  fa- 
vorite word  is  "straightway."  While  there  are  only  four  parables, 
there  are  eighteen  miracles  recorded.  Do  not  hesitate  to  review  the 
history  covered.     Remember  the  motto,  "Telling  is  not  teaching." 

THE  HEROIC  IX  THE  LIFE  OF  JESUS 

All  the  world  loves  a  hero.  The  heroic  has  too  frequently  been 
overlooked  in  the  study  of  the  life  of  Christ.  We  have  gone  elsewhere 
for  our  heroes  and  the  fault  Hes  with  ourselves,  our  ideals,  and  our 
understanding  of  the  man,  Christ  Jesus.  A  superintendent  of  Junior 
children  recently  asked  each  child  to  write  on  a  piece  of  paper  the  name 
of  his  hero.  Not  one  gave  the  name  of  Jesus.  There  may  be  other 
explanations,  however,  for  Jesus  is  more  than  hero:  he  is  the  Saviour. 

At  this  period  in  the  development  of  the  child  the  heroic  appeal  is 
that  of  action.  The  hero  is  strong,  manly,  virile.  He  does  things. 
He  accomplishes,  attains,  arrives  at  the  goal.  In  the  Hfe  of  Christ 
there  is  a  wealth  of  material  at  our  disposal. 

40 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  JUNIORS 

The  Heroism  of  Jesus 

1.  The  story  of  the  temptation.— Mark  1:  12,  13;  Luke  4:  1-13; 
Matt.  4:  1-11.  The  account  in  Mark,  though  short,  is  graphic  and 
makes  a  pecuHar  appeal  to  Juniors. 

2.  The  cleansing  of  the  Temple.— Matt.  21 :  12-17;  Mark  11 :  15- 
19;  Luke  19  :  45-48;  John  2  :  13-22.  The  fine  courage  of  Jesus,  who 
unafraid  drove  the  traders  from  the  Temple,  is  here  portrayed. 

3.  The  stilling  of  the  storm.— Matt.  8:23-27;  Mark  4:35-41; 
Luke  8 :  22-25.  Jesus  was  quiet  and  self-possessed  in  the  midst  of 
danger. 

4.  The  demoniac— Matt.  8:  28-34;  Mark  5:  1-20;  Luke  8:  26- 
39.     Jesus  was  fearless  where  all  others  were  afraid. 

5.  The  case  of  Herod.— Luke  13 :  31-35.  Jesus  sent  a  direct 
challenge  of  fearlessness. 

6.  The  arrest.— Matt.  26:47-56;  Mark  14:43-52;  Luke  22:47- 
53 ;  John  18  :  1-12.  He  sheltered  his  disciples,  standing  between  them 
and  the  enemy. 

7.  Before  Pilate.— Matt.  27:  11-26;  Mark  15:  1-15;  Luke  23:  1- 
25;  John  18  :  28-40.  Instead  of  Jesus'  being  judged  by  Pilate,  Pilate 
was  judged  by  Jesus. 

8.  His  attitude  toward  Mary. — His  chivalry  defended  Mary  from 
criticism.     Matt.  26  :  6-13;    Mark  14:  3-9;    John  11 :  55  to  12  :  11. 

9.  Going  up  to  Jerusalem.— Matt.  19:  1,  2;  Mark  10:  1;  Luke 
9 :  51-56.  He  purposed  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  knowing  that  the  cross 
awaited  him. 

The  Heroism  of  Others 
Written  into  the  life  of  Christ  there  are  incidents  connected  with 
others  where  heroism  is  revealed. 

1.  The  Wise  Men  and  Herod.— Matt.  2:  1-12.  The  Wise  Men 
purposely  defied  the  demand  of  the  king. 

2.  John  the  Baptist.— Matt.  14:  1-12;  Mark  6:  14-29;  Luke  9  :  7- 
9.  John  preferred  prison  and  death  to  the  betrayal  of  the  truth  or 
the  flattery  of  the  king. 

3.  Nicodemus.— John  3:1-21;  7  :  50;  19  :  39.  The  complete  story 
of  Nicodemus  reveals  his  heroic  conduct  in  defending  Jesus  before 
his  enemies  and  in  caring  for  his  body  in  death. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

4.  Joseph  of  Arimathaea.— Matt.  27:57-60;  Mark  15:42-47; 
Luke  23:50-56;  John  19:38-42.  In  the  face  of  his  past  and  in 
spite  of  his  enemies,  Joseph  at  last  identified  himself  with  Jesus. 

Where  Heroism  Failed 
There  are  a  few  striking  examples  in  the  life  of  Jesus  where  the  hero 
drops  out  of  sight  and  the  cowardice  of  others  is  revealed.     To  be  re- 
pelled by  the  evil  is  akin  to  being  attracted  by  the  good. 

1.  Herod.— Matt.  14:  12;  Mark  6:  14-16;  Luke  9:7-9.  Herod 
had  wickedly  taken  the  life  of  John  the  Baptist.  His  evil  conscience 
made  him  both  cowardly  and  superstitious. 

2.  Peter.— Matt.  26:69-75;  Mark  14:66-72;  Luke  22:55-62. 
Peter  had  boasted  of  his  loyalty  to  Jesus,  but  in  the  presence  of  Jesus' 
enemies  had  cowardly  betrayed  him. 

3.  Judas. — Matt.  27 :  3-10.  Judas  used  his  friendship  to  betray 
Jesus  and  then,  afraid  to  face  repentance,  took  his  own  Hfe. 

4.  Pilate.— Matt.  27:15-26;  John  19:1-16.  Instead  of  heroi- 
cally setting  Jesus  free,  Pilate  cowardly  surrendered  him  to  the  will 
of  the  people. 

VALUE  OF  MEMORY  WORK 

The  years  of  the  Junior  age  are  the  "Golden  Age"  of  memory. 
At  this  period  of  life  memory  is  most  alert,  and  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  much  has  been  said  against  the  value  of  memory  work,  both 
experience  and  good  psychology  stiU  give  such  work  a  place  of  honor. 
The  word  of  Professor  WilHam  James  in  his  "Talks  to  Teachers"  is 
authoritative.  "I  should  say,  therefore,  that  constant  exercise  in 
verbal  memorizing  must  still  be  an  indispensable  feature  in  all  sound 
education.  ...  In  every  branch  of  study  there  are  happily 
turned,  concise,  and  handy  formulas  which  in  an  incomparable  way 
sum  up  results.  The  mind  that  can  retain  such  formulas  is  in  so  far 
a  superior  mind,  and  the  communication  of  them  to  the  pupil  ought 
always  to  be  one  of  the  teacher's  favorite  tasks." 

Knowing  the  Gospel. — The  location  of  certain  outstanding  pas- 
sages and  events  in  the  life  of  Jesus  can  with  a  little  care  be  made  a 
part  of  the  Junior  child's  mental  equipment. 

1.  The  Beatitudes.     Matt.,  ch.  5. 

42 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  JUNIORS 

2.  Parable  of  the  Good  Shepherd.     John,  ch.  10. 

3.  The  Wise  Men.     Matt.,  ch.  2.  -. 

4.  The  shepherds.     Luke,  ch.  2. 

5.  The  temptation.     Matt.,  ch.  4;   Mark,  ch.  1;  Luke,  ch.  4. 

6.  The  story  of  Nicodemus.     John,  ch.  3. 

7.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount.     Matt.,  chs.  5,  6,  7;  Luke,  ch.  6. 

8.  Parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan.     Luke,  ch.  10. 

9.  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son.     Luke,  ch.  15. 

10.  The  Lord's  Prayer.     Matt.  6:  9-15;   Luke  11:1-4. 

11.  Parable  of  the  Vine  and  the  Branches.     John,  ch.  15. 

Great  Passages. — Some  of  the  great  immortal  words  found  in  the 
hfe  of  Christ  should  be  drilled  into  the  memory  and  made  a  perma- 
nent possession  of  Hfe.  A  few  suggestions  of  what  may  be  chosen  are 
here  given: 

1.  The  Christmas  story.     Luke  2  :  8-20. 

2.  The  Easter  story.     Matt.  28 :  1-10. 

3.  The  Beatitudes.     Matt.  5 :  1-12. 

4.  The  Lord's  Prayer.     Matt.  6 :  9-15. 

5.  "Come  unto  me."    Matt.  11 :  28-30. 

6.  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world."    Mark  16: 15. 

7.  "  God  is  a  Spirit."    John  4 :  24. 

8.  "God  so  loved  the  world."     John  3 :  16. 

9.  "Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled."     John  14:  1-3. 

In  the  matter  of  memorizing,  Professor  James  says,  "The  best 
method  is,  of  course,  not  to  'hammer  in'  the  sentences,  by  mere  re- 
iteration, but  to  analyze  them  and  think." 


THE  APPEAL  TO  HABIT 

Habit  is  second  nature  and  is  formed  most  easily  when  the  brain  is 
plastic.  The  formation  of  good  habits  is  of  more  importance  than  the 
impartation  of  knowledge,  even  as  training  is  more  than  teaching. 
A  good  method  to  follow  is  to  endeavor  to  cultivate  the  habits  which 
are  revealed  in  the  life  of  Jesus. 

1.  The  habit  of  church  attendance.— Luke  2  :  41,  42;  4:  16.  Sab- 
bath after  Sabbath  Jesus  was  found  in  the  place  of  worship.  The 
Sunday  school  is  not  the  children's  church,  and  children  of  the  Junior 

43 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

age  should  be  encouraged  to  follow  the  example  of  Jesus  in  this  par- 
ticular. 

2.  The  habit  of  Bible  study. — Jesus'  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures, 
as  shown  in  his  frequent  use  of  them,  reveals  his  famiharity  with  the 
teaching  of  the  Old  Testament.  Emphasis  should  be  placed  upon 
daily  Bible-reading, 

3.  The  habit  of  prayer.— Luke  3 :  21;  5:16;  6:  12;  Mark  1 :  35. 
Jesus  had  times  and  places  for  prayer.  Prayer  was  his  regular  habit. 
Sometimes,  as  in  Gethsemane,  he  prayed  the  same  words  over  and 
over  again.     Prayer  should  become  a  reaHty  to  the  Junior  child. 

4.  The  habit  of  service. — John  4:34;  Acts  10:38.  Remember 
the  motto,  "No  impression  without  expression."  Children  cannot 
begin  too  early  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  Jesus,  and  they  should  be 
taught  that  the  Christian  hfe  is  one  of  service. 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 
Stalker,  Rhees,  Farrar. — "Life  of  Christ." 
Davis,  Hastings,  etc. — Bible  Dictionary. 
DuMMELOW. — "The  One  Volume  Bible  Commentary." 
Speer.— "The  Man  Christ  Jesus,"  pp.  37,  38,  87,  88,  213. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  Has  the  heroic  element  in  the  teaching  of  Jesus  been  neglected? 

2.  The  value  of  memory  work  for  the  Junioi  grade. 

3.  The  best  way  of  cultivating  good  habits  in  boys  and  girls  of  the 
Junior  age. 

4.  The  value  of  church  attendance  in  the  religious  education  of 
children. 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  are  the  characteristics  of  boys  and  girls  of  the  Junior  age? 

2.  Why  does  history  make  a  strong  appeal  to  Juniors? 

3.  OutHne  briefly  the  Gospel  of  Mark. 

4.  Should  particular  details  be  omitted  in  teaching  the  Junior  chil- 
dren the  Ufe  of  Christ? 

5.  What  is  meant  by  the  heroic  element  in  the  Hfe  of  Jesus? 

6.  What  heroic  incidents  connected  with  others  are  discovered  in 
the  Gospel? 

7.  How  can  the  child's  facihty  in  memorizing  be  used  in  the  study  of 
the  hfe  of  Christ? 

8.  What  habits  should  be  cultivated? 

9.  What  habits  of  Jesus  can  be  imitated  by  the  Junior  children? 

44 


STUDY  VIII 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO 
INTERMEDIATES 

The  Intermediate  Department  includes  boys  and  girls  between  the 
ages  of  thirteen  and  sixteen,  or,  according  to  the  new  grouping,  ap- 
proved by  the  Sunday  School  Council,  twelve  to  fourteen,  inclusive. 
It  is  the  period  of  early  adolescence  and  marks  the  most  important 
period  in  Hfe's  development.     The  period  of  childhood  is  past. 

The  Intermediate  age  is  a  period  of  independence  of  judgment. 
Boys  and  girls  choose  their  own  companions  and  friends.  It  is  a 
time  of  ideals,  when  hero  worship  becomes  a  matter  of  attraction  of 
character,  of  inner  longing;  it  is  a  time  of  visions  and  dreams.  At 
this  period,  owing  to  sex  development,  t^e  social  instinct  asserts  itself 
and  a  spirit  of  altruism  struggles  with  selfishness.  Closely  related  to 
this  social  awakening  is  a  marvelous  religious  quickening.  It  has 
been  well  said  that  boys  and  girls  fall  in  love  with  God  about  the  same 
time  that  they  fall  in  love  with  each  other. 

This  period,  therefore,  has  peculiar  significance  for  religious  educa- 
tion. It  is  the  age  of  decision,  the  period  when  ideals  are  formed  and 
choices  made.  It  is  the  age  when  children  make  their  public  con- 
fession of  Christ.  The  emphasis  should  be  placed  upon  the  claim  of 
Christ  and  the  necessity  for  personal  consecration. 

Keeping  these  suggestions  in  mind,  we  may  outline  the  study  of 
the  life  of  Christ  for  the  Intermediate  age. 

THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  IN  OUTLINE 
At  this  age  the  Gospel  of  Luke  makes  a  pecuHar  appeal. 

1.  The  appeal  of  authorship. — Luke  was  a  physician.  He  wrote 
The  Acts  and  was  the  heroic  companion  of  Paul.  In  Luke  1 :  1-4  he 
tells  us  why  he  wrote  his  Gospel. 

2.  The  appeal  of  literature. — Luke  has  been  called  the  most  beauti- 
ful book  that  has  ever  been  written.  It  alone  gives  us  the  songs  of 
the  nativity  and  some  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  parables. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

3.  The  appeal  of  Jesus. — Luke  presents  Jesus  as  the  Friend  of  sin- 
ners, the  Saviour.     It  is  the  Gospel  of  grace,  of  love,  and  of  joyousness. 

Outline  of  Luke's  Gospel. — The  following  outline  of  Luke's  Gospel 
will  serve  as  basis  for  further  study. 

1.  The  nativity  narratives.     Luke,  chs.  1,  2. 

2.  The  period  of  preparation.     Chs.  3:1  to  4: 13. 

3.  The  ministry  in  Galilee.     Chs.  4 :  14  to  9 :  50. 

4.  The  ministry  in  Perea  and  the  journey  to  Jerusalem.  Chs.  9:51 
to  19 :  28. 

5.  The  ministry  in  Jerusalem.     Chs.  19 :  28  to  21 :  38. 

6.  The  Passion  and  death.     Chs.  22,  '23. 

7.  The  resurrection.     Ch.  24. 

THE  LURE  OF  THE  IDEAL 
Boys  and  girls  of  the  Intermediate  age,  like  the  Juniors,  are  hero  wor- 
shipers.    However,  they  appreciate  what  are  called  the  passive  virtues 
— kindness,  forgiveness,  self-control,  gentleness,  patience.     Their  hero 
is  great  in  character.     What  he  is,  is  as  great  as  what  he  does. 

Jesus  as  the  Ideal 
The  heroic  elements  in  the  ideal  character  of  Jesus  appeal  strongly 
to  boys  and  girls. 

1.  His  good  will. — Jesus  did  not  know  jealousy.  He  was  mag- 
nanimous.    Matt.  11:2-19;   Luke  7 :  18-35. 

2.  His  fearlessness. — He  faced  the  hard  things  of  life  and  refused 
to  take  the  easy  way.  Matt.  16 :  21-28;  Mark  8  :  31  to  9 :  1;  Luke 
9:22-27. 

3.  His  self-control. — When  his  enemies  took  up  stones  to  stone  him 
he  went  calmly  on.     He  faced  danger  unafraid.     John  10 :  22-42. 

4.  His  sympathy. — He  befriended  the  friendless  and  faced  ridicule. 
Luke  19 :  1-10. 

5.  His  intellectual  superiority. — He  triumphed  in  controversy. 
Enemies  who  tried  to  silence  him  in  argument  were  silenced.  Matt. 
22  :  15-46;   Mark  12  :  13-37;   Luke  20 :  20-44. 

6.  His  surrendered  life. — Jesus  had  the  courage  to  face  death  un- 
afraid and  to  shield  and  protect  his  disciples.  Matt.  26:30-46; 
Mark  14:26-42;  Luke  22:39-46;  John  18:  1-11. 

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HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  INTERMEDIATES 

7.  His  sacrificial  love. — Jesus  died  without  fear,  praying  for  his 
enemies,  thinking  of  his  mother,  commending  his  soul  to  God.  Matt. 
27 :  32-56;  Mark  15  :  21-40;  Luke  23  :  26-49;  John  19 :  16-37. 

Presenting  the  Ideal 
Not  only  did  Jesus  show  forth  the  ideal  life  in  himself,  but  by  sug- 
gestion and  teaching  he  held  it  up  before  his  followers. 

1.  Moral  courage. — When  the  prodigal  saw  that  he  was  wTong,  he 
had  the  courage  to  own  up  and  return  home.     Luke  15 :  11-32. 

2.  True  ambition. — Jesus  did  not  condemn  the  ambition  of  James 
and  John,  but  asked  if  they  were  ready  to  pay  the  price.  Matt.  20 : 
20-28;   Mark  10:35-45. 

3.  Forgiveness. — Jesus  presented  to  Simon  Peter  the  ideal  of  a 
complete  forgiveness  of  injuries.     Matt.  18 :  21-35. 

THE  GREAT  DECISION 

The  life  of  Christ  presents  wonderful  material  showing  the  necessity 
and  value  of  choosing  well.  The  pupil  should  be  brought  face  to  face 
with  an  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as  his  personal  Saviour  and  Lord. 

The  Choices  of  Jesus 

1.  In  the  Temple. — At  this  time  Jesus  became  what  the  Jews  call 
a  "son  of  the  Law."    Luke  2  :  41-50. 

2.  In  the  temptation. — In  the  great  decision  of  his  life  Jesus  gave 
God  first  place.     Matt.  4:  1-11;   Mark  1 :  12,  13;  Luke  4:  1-13. 

3.  In  Gethsemane. — Jesus  chose  God's  will  rather  than  his  own. 
Matt.  26:30-46;   Mark  14 :  26-42 ;   Luke  22  :  39-46. 

The  Choices  of  Others 
The  life  of  Jesus  brings  us  face  to  face  with  ^the  fact  that  Jesus 
forces  men  everywhere  to  a  decision. 

1.  The  first  disciples. — Jesus  called  and  they  answered.  John 
1:35-51. 

2.  The  four  disciples.— They  left  all  to  follow  Jesus.  Matt.  4:18- 
22;   Mark  1 :  16-20;   Luke  5  :  1-11. 

3.  The  call  of  Matthew. — When  Jesus  called,  Matthew  was  ready. 
Matt.  9 :  9-13;   Mark  2  :  13-17;  Luke  5  :  27-32. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

4.  The  choice  of  the  multitude. — When  the  issue  was  presented, 
the  crowd  refused  to  follow  Jesus.     John  6:  66-71. 

5.  The  confession  of  Peter. — Peter  made  the  great  confession. 
Matt.  16:  13-20;   Mark  8:  27-30;  Luke  9:  18-21. 

6.  The  rich  young  ruler. — The  ruler  made  the  great  refusal.  Matt. 
19:  16-30;   Mark  10:  17-31;   Luke  18:  18-30. 

The  Necessary  Choice 
Jesus  again  and  again  forces  decision  upon  those  who  hear  him. 
He  says,  ''Follow  me";  "ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon." 
He  speaks  of  two  foundations,  two  gates,  two  ways.  He  offers  the 
Pearl  of  great  price  and  the  hidden  Treasure.  Everyone  must  face 
the  question,  What  will  you  do  with  Jesus? 

THE  PUBLIC  CONFESSION 

After  choice  comes  confession.  Church  membership  should  be 
intelligent,  and  here,  in  the  study  of  the  life  of  Christ,  should  be 
taught  the  significance  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

1.  Baptism. — The  significance  and  meaning  of  the  sacrament  should 
be  explained.     Matt.  3:  13-17;    28:  19,  20. 

2.  The  Lord's  Supper. — "This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  Matt. 
26:  17-30;   Mark  14:  17-26;   Luke  22  :  7-30. 

THE  HABIT  OF  PRAYER 

"What  he  is  at  sixteen  he  will  be  at  sixty,"  is  a  famihar  saying. 
The  importance  of  the  formation  of  good  habits  cannot  be  overem- 
phasized. The  habit  of  prayer  should  be  kept  constantly  before  the 
boys  and  girls.     Luke  gives  prominence  to  Jesus'  habit  of  prayer. 

1.  Jesus  prayed  at  his  baptism. — Luke  3  :  21. 

2.  He  prayed  when  he  chose  the  Twelve. — Ch.  6:  12,  13. 

3.  He  prayed  when  Peter  made  his  great  confession. — Ch.  9 :  18. 

4.  He  prayed  at  the  transfiguration. — Ch.  9  :  28. 

5.  The  Lord's  Prayer  was  given  because  the  disciples  had  seen 
Jesus  pray. — Ch.  11 :  1-4. 

6.  He  prayed  in  Gethsemane. — Ch.  22  :  41-44. 

7.  He  prayed  for  Peter.— Ch.  22  :  32. 

8.  He  prayed  on  the  cross. — Ch.  23 :  34,  46. 

48 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  INTERMEDIATES 

Parables  About  Prayer 

1.  Parable  of  the  Neighbor.— Luke  11 :  5-10. 

2.  Parable  of  the  Unjust  Judge.— Ch.  18  :  1-8. 

3.  Parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican.— Ch.  18  :  9-14. 


THE  PLACE  OF  MEMORY 

The  memory  work  done  during  the  Junior  age  should  be  reviewed 
and  an  advance  made,  keeping  in  mind  the  concentration  upon  the 
Gospel  of  Luke.     Some  suggestions  may  be  given  for  memory  work: 

1.  The  nativity  songs. — (a)  The  Magnificat.     Luke  1 :  46-56. 

(b)  The  Benedictus.     Ch.  1 :  67-79. 

(c)  The  Nunc  Dimittis.     Ch.  2  :  29-32. 

(d)  The  Gloria  in  Excelsis.     Ch.  2 :  14. 

2.  Two  short  parables. — (a)  Parable  of  the  Lost  Sheep.    Ch.  15  :  1-7. 
(b)  Parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican.     Ch.  18 :  9-14. 

3.  Great  sayings  of  Jesus. — (a)  "Let  your  light  shine."  Matt.  5  :  16. 

(b)  "Ye  therefore  shall  be  perfect."     Ch.  5  :  48. 

(c)  "Where  thy  treasure  is."     Ch.  6 :  21. 

(d)  "No  man  can  serve  two  masters."     Ch.  6:  24. 

(e)  "Seek  ye  first."     Ch.  6:33. 

(f)  "Judge  not."     Ch.  7:1. 

(g)  "Ask."     Ch.  7:7. 

(h)   The  Golden  Rule.     Ch.  7  :  12. 
(i)     "By  their  fruits."     Ch.  7:20. 

(j)    "Every  one  therefore  who  shall  confess."     Ch.  10:32,  33. 
(k)   "He  that  findeth."     Ch.   10:39. 
(1)    "Whosoever  shall  give."     Ch.  10:42. 
(m)  "I  am  the  bread  of  life."     John  6 :  35. 
(n)   "Except  ye  turn."     Matt.  18:3. 
(o)    "Every  idle  word."     Ch.  12  :  36,  37. 
(p)   "Come  unto  me."     Ch.  11:28-30. 
(q)   "I  am  the  good  shepherd."     John  10  :  11. 
(r)    "The  Son  of  man."     Matt.  20:28. 
(s)    "Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled."     John  14:  1-3. 
(t)    "Where  two  or  three."     Matt.  18 :  20. 
(u)  "Suffer  the  Httle  children."     Ch.  19:  14. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

(v)   "Many  shall  be  last  that  are  first."     Ch.  19 :  30. 
(w)  "Go  ye  therefore."     Ch.  28 :  19,  20. 

A  FINAL  WORD 

A  great  sculptor  once  carved  a  statue  of  Christ.  When  it  was 
finished  he  invited  a  friend  to  see  it.  The  friend  said,  "You  have 
done  better  work  than  this."  "Now,"  said  the  artist,  "you  are 
standing.  Come  here  and  kneel  with  me.  Now  look  into  his  facel" 
Then  the  beauty  and  the  wonder  dawned  upon  the  friend.  Not 
until  our  pupils  kneel  in  his  presence  have  they  seen  their  Saviour. 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

DuMMELOW. — "The    One    Volume    Bible    Commentary."    The 
Gospel  of  Luke. 
Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."     Ch.  VII. 
Speer. — "The  Man  Christ  Jesus."     Section  3. 
FoSDiCK.— "The  Manhood  of  the  Master."     Chs.  II,  III,  VIII. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  Do  works  of  art  give  us  a  true  idea  of  the  character  of  Jesus? 

2.  Do  we  adequately  prepare  our  children  for  Church  membership? 

3.  What  methods  can  be  used  to  the  best  advantage  in  training 
boys  and  girls  in  the  prayer  life? 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  are  the  characteristics  of  boys  and  girls  of  this  age? 

2.  Why  has  the  Gospel  of  Luke  a  pecuhar  appeal  to  boys  and  girls? 

3.  Give  an  outline  of  the  Gospel  of  Luke. 

4.  What  appeal  does  hero  worship  make  to  boys  and  girls? 

5.  How  may  boys  and  girls  be  brought  face  to  face  with  personal 
acceptance  of  Jesus? 

6.  Show  how  Jesus  forced  people  to  a  decision  about  himself. 

7.  Why  is  the  Lord's  Supper  obligatory? 

8.  Give  examples  of  the  prayer  life  of  Jesus. 

9.  What  use  can  be  made  of  memory  in  the  Intermediate  Depart- 
ment? 


50 


STUDY  IX 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  SENIORS  AND 
YOUNG  PEOPLE 

The  Senior  age  includes  young  people  between  the  ages  of  seven- 
teen and  twenty-one,  though,  according  to  the  new  grouping  approved 
by  the  Sunday  School  Council,  the  Senior  age  begins  with  fifteen  and 
ends  with  seventeen,  while  those  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five  years, 
inclusive,  belong  to  the  Young  People's  Department.  During  the 
years  from  fifteen  to  twenty-one  the  choice  of  vocation  is  made  and 
the  purpose  of  life  is  formed.  It  is  a  period  of  marked  independence 
of  thought,  when  personaUty  is  manifested.  Young  men  and  women 
begin  to  think  for  themselves  and  reconstruct  their  own  thought 
world;  consequently,  for  young  people  who  think,  it  is  an  age  when 
doubt  disturbs  and  perplexes,  when  temptations  take  on  new  power, 
and  when  the  appeal  of  service  and  the  ideal  of  sacrifice  are  strongest. 

The  primary  interest  in  the  life  of  Christ  for  young  people  is  con- 
sequently practical.  The  Gospel  of  John  has  a  pecuHar  message  for 
young  men  and  women.  This  Gospel  is  not  a  Hfe  of  Christ,  in  the 
ordinary  sense,  but  partakes  of  the  nature  of  an  argument.  The  pur- 
pose of  the  book  is  plainly  given  in  John  20  :  30, 31.  John  sets  himself 
to  prove  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ.  The  last  chapter  is  doubtless  an 
appendix.  The  book  may  be  outlined  as  follows: 
I.  The  prologue.  John  1 :  1-18. 
11.  The  public  ministry.     Chs.  1 :  19  to  12 :  SO. 

III.  The  private  ministry.     Chs.  13-17. 

IV.  Death  and  resurrection.     Chs.  18-20. 
V.  The  epilogue.     Ch.  21. 

While  there  is  teaching  value  in  the  outline,  we  shall  accomplish 
better  results  by  keeping  close  to  the  avowed  purpose  of  the  book 
itself.  John  brings  forth  testimony  to  prove  his  statement  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  that,  beheving  in  him,  we  have  life  eternal. 

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THE  GOSPEL  TESTIMONY 

1.  The  testimony  of  John  the  Baptist. — (a)  John  calls  himself 
merely  "a  voice."     John  1 :  23. 

(b)  John  calls  Jesus  "the  Lamb  of  God,"  ch.  1 :  29-36;  "the  Son 
of  God,"  ch.  1 :  34;   "the  bridegroom,"  ch.  3  :  29. 

2.  The  testimony  of  special  representative  witnesses. — (a)  Of 
Nicodemus,  the  ruler  of  the  Jews.     John  3:1;   7  :  45-53;   19  :  38,  39. 

(b)  Of  the  woman  of  Samaria.     Ch.  4 :  29,  39-42. 

(c)  Of  the  Greeks.     Ch.  12  :  20-23. 

3.  The  testimony  of  his  mighty  works. — ^John  calls  Jesus'  miracles 
"signs"  or  "works";  they  are  "parables  in  action."  Omitting  the 
one  recorded  in  the  appendix,  there  are  seven. 

(a)  Cana.     A  "sign  of  joy."     John  2  :  1-lL 

(b)  The  nobleman's  son.     A  "sign  of  love."     Ch.  4:43-54. 

(c)  Bethesda.     A  "sign  of  power."     Ch.  5:1-15. 

(d)  The  five  thousand.     A  "sign  of  mercy."     Ch.  6:  1-14. 

(e)  The  storm.     A  "sign  of  peace."     Ch.  6:  15-21. 

(f)  The  bUnd  man.     A  "sign  of  Hght."     Ch.  9:1-7. 

(g)  Lazarus.     A  "sign  of  life."     Ch.  11:1-46. 

4.  The  testimony  of  Jesus  himself. — What  did  Jesus  think  about 
himself?     No  more  important  question  can  be  asked. 

(a)  "I  am  the  bread  of  Hfe."     John  6:  35. 

(b)  "I  am  the  light  of  the  world."     Ch.  8 :  12. 

(c)  "I  am  the  good  shepherd."     Ch.  10:  11. 

(d)  "I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life."     Ch.  14:  6. 

(e)  "I  am  the  vine."     Ch.  15:5. 

(f)  "I  am  the  resurrection,  and  the  life."     Ch.  11 :  25. 

(g)  "I  am."     He  is  Jehovah.     Ch.  8  :  58. 

5.  The  testimony  of  the  Old  Testament. — Jesus  appealed  to  the 
Scriptures.  He  fulfilled  prophecy.  John  5  :  39-46.  References  and 
allusions  to  the  Old  Testament  are  numerous. 

6.  The  testimony  of  those  who  knew  Jesus. — (a)  Andrew.  John 
1:41,42. 

(b)  Philip.     Ch.  1 :  43-49. 

(c)  Nathanael.     Ch.  1 :  49. 

(d)  John.     Chs.  19:35;  21:24. 

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HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  SENIORS 

(e)  Peter.     Ch.  6  :  68,  69. 

(f)  Martha.     Ch.  11:27. 

(g)  Pilate.  Ch.  19  :  4-6. 
(h)  Officers.  Ch.  7  :  46. 
(i)    Thomas.     Ch.  20:28. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  John  closes  his  Gospel  with  the  con- 
fession of  Thomas,  "My  Lord  and  my  God." 

A  REASONABLE  FAITH 

The  Gospel  of  John  thus  serves  as  a  fine  text  to  meet  the  doubts  of 
this  age  and  to  give  young  people  the  foundation  for  a  reasonable 
faith.  Let  us  bear  in  mind  that  at  this  period  doubt  possesses  some- 
thing of  a  normal  habit.  It  should  be  honestly  met  and  not  ignored. 
John's  Gospel  gives  us  both  a  method  and  a  motive.  Emphasis  may 
be  placed  upon  certain  phases  of  the  teaching  of  the  Gospel. 

1.  The  fact  of  Christ. — His  sinlessness;   his  personal  claim. 

2.  The  fact  of  the  resurrection. — This  is  the  corner  stone  of  our 
faith.     Let  the  facts  on  which  this  faith  rests  be  given. 

3.  A  study  of  John  the  Baptist's  eclipse  of  faith. — Luke  7:  18-23. 
Jesus  meets  John's  question  with  the  evidence  of  the  Gospel  at  work. 

THE  FIGHT  FOR  CHARACTER 

Henry  Drummond  said,  "There  is  only  one  subject  worth  talking 
about  to  young  people,  and  hat  is  temptation."  The  fact  of  tempta- 
tion should  be  frankly  faced  and  the  path  to  power  pointed  out. 
Temptation  is  not  sin.  Jesus  was  tempted.  His  life  was  one  long 
temptation.  Luke  4 :  13.  Jesus  warned  his  followers  that  they  would 
be  tempted.  Matt.  26:41;  Mark  14:38;  Luke  22:40-46.  He 
taught  them  to  pray  against  temptation.  Matt.  6:  13;  Luke  11:4. 
He  himself  fell  back  upon  God  and  upon  the  Word  of  God.  Matt. 
4:1-11. 

CHOOSING  ONE'S  LIFE  W^ORK 

The  life  of  Jesus  presents  the  truest  principles  by  means  of  which 
young  people  may  be  helped  to  make  a  success  of  Hfe.  The  great 
question  to  be  answered  is,  What  is  the  will  of  God  for  my  life?  The 
life  and  teaching  of  Jesus  will  help  to  a  right  decision. 

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The  Exaacple  of  Jesus 
John  R.  Mott  has  said,  "The  will  of  God  was  Jesus'  North  Star." 

1.  Themotiveof  Jesus' lif e.— John  4:  34;  5:30;  6:38^iO;   17:4. 

2.  His  temptation. — Matt.  4 :  1-11.     He  chooses  God's  will  and  the 
path  of  duty,  against  physical  comfort,  wealth,  and  fame. 

3.  Gethsemane. — Matt.  26 :  42 ;  Luke  22  :  42,     Jesus  gives  us  a  true 
standard  of  success:  loyalty  to  the  will  of  God,  fidelity  to  conscience. 

Examples  of  Choice 
The  word  of  Augustine,  "Put  God  first,  and  then  anything  you 
like  second,"  is  the  best  of  rules.     It  is  not  so  much  the  sphere  of 
life  as  the  purpose  of  life  that  counts.     God's  will  should  be  followed 
in  a  business  career  as  well  as  in  the  ministry. 

1.  First  things  first.— Matt.  6:31-34.     This  is  the  heart  of  the 
teaching  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

2.  God  or  mammon. — Matt.  6 :  24.     There  can  be  only  one  master. 

3.  Two  foundations.— Matt.  7  :  24-27.     The  last  test  of  Ufe  is  just 
life  itself.     What  life  is  it  that  lasts? 

4.  The   rich   young   ruler.— Matt.    19:16-30;     Mark    10:17-31; 
Luke  18  :  18-30.     Possessions  may  possess  instead  of  being  possessed. 

5.  The  rich  man  and  Lazarus. — ^Luke  16:  19-31.     The  rich  man 
was  not  a  bad  man,  but  he  failed  to  serve. 

6.  The  rich  fool. — Luke  12  :  13-21.     An  example  of  how  the  great- 
est success  may  be  the  most  tragic  of  failures. 

7.  The  pearl  of  great  price. — Matt.  13 :  44^6.     The  highest  suc- 
cess comes  from  the  surrender  of  the  unworthy. 

8.  The  prodigal  Son. — Luke  15  :  11-24.     Sin  is  insanity.     When  a 
man  comes  to  himself,  he  is  God's  child. 

9.  The  talents.— Matt.  25 :  14-30.     The  test  of  life  is  fidelity. 

10.  The  pounds.— Luke  19 :  12-27.    The  test  of  Ufe  is  not  what  we 
have,  but  how  we  use  it. 

11.  The  lost  coin. — Luke  15  :  8-10.    Human  life  is  the  most  valua- 
ble of  all  life's  possessions. 

12.  The  barren  fig  tree. — Luke  13 :  6-9.     God  will  try  men  as  he 
tries  trees — by  their  fruits. 

13.  The  good  Samaritan. — Luke  10 :  25-37.    To  pass  by  where 
need  is,  and  not  to  help,  is  a  crime  against  man  and  God. 

54 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  SENIORS 

14.  The  wicked  husbandmen.— Matt.  21 :  33,  34.  Christ  will 
come  again  to  be  our  Judge. 

Guidance  of  Choice 
Jesus  laid  down  two  rules  by  which  to  discover  the  will  of  God: 

1.  Prayer.— Matt.  6:  10. 

2.  Willingness  to  obey. — John  7:17.  He  who  obeys  the  truth 
will  know  the  truth. 

THE  CHALLENGE  TO  SERVE 

In  estabhshing  one's  faith,  and  in  discovering  God's  will,  work  is 
God's  great  guide.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  that 
young  people  desire  something  to  do.  They  seek  service.  They  de- 
mand an  efficient,  practical,  working  religion. 

PREPARATION  FOR  SERVICE 

Jesus  spent  thirty  years  in  Nazareth,  of  which  we  have  no  knowl- 
edge.    Thirty  years  of  preparation  for  three  years  of  service! 

THE  SPHERE  OF  SERVICE 
Jesus  said,  "The  field  is  the  world."     Matt.  13:34-43.     We  are 
servants  of  the  King  to  help  bring  in  the  Kingdom. 

1.  Jesus  and  the  home. — Luke  2:41-52;  John  19:25-27.  Jesus 
loved  his  home.  His  young  manhood  was  spent  in  its  service.  His 
last  thought  was  of  his  mother. 

2.  Jesus  and  his  country.— Matt.  22:17-21;  17:24-27;  23:37. 
Jesus  was  a  true  patriot.  He  reverenced  law.  He  paid  taxes.  He 
wept  over  Jerusalem. 

3.  Jesus  and  his  friends. — ^John  15  :  1-16.  Jesus  gave  the  world  a 
true  ideal  of  friendship.     Friendship  calls  for  service  and  for  sacrifice. 

4.  Jesus  and  the  poor.— Matt.  13:55;  Luke  9:58;  Matt.  11:5. 
Jesus  was  born  poor.  The  gospel  has  a  special  message  for  the  poor. 
Jesus  was  and  is  the  Friend  of  the  poor. 

5.  Jesus  and  wealth.— Mark  10:  23,  24;  Luke  12  :  13-15;  16:  19- 
31.  Jesus  taught  that  wealth  is  a  trust.  The  man  who  misuses  it  is 
a  traitor  to  his  trust.     The  rich  man  is  a  steward. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

6.  Jesus  and  society.— John  2:1-11;  Luke  7:34-50;  19:10. 
Jesus  was  not  a  recluse.  He  was  in  the  world,  a  man  among  men. 
He  was  in  society  with  a  purpose. 

7.  Jesus  and  sacrifice. — Matt.  19:29;  Luke  9:23.  Sacrifice  and 
religion  go  hand  in  hand.  Sacrifice  is  our  consecration  to  the  will  of 
God. 

8.  Jesus  and  missions.— Matt.  28:  19;  John  4:  27-38.  Christian 
service  is  world-wide.  It  knows  no  boundaries.  Through  his 
people  Jesus  still  goes  about  doing  good. 

It  ought  not  to  be  hard  to  make  the  Hfe  and  character  of  Jesus  win- 
some to  young  people.  Jesus  was  interested  in  life  and  promised  not 
the  suppression  but  the  expansion  of  Hfe.  He  came  to  give  Hfe  abun- 
dant.    John  10 :  10. 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Weigle.— "The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher."     Ch.  VH. 
Speer. — "The  Principles  of  Jesus." 
DuMMELOW. — "The  One  Volume  Bible  Commentary." 
Wright. — "The  Will  of  God  and  a  Man's  Lifework." 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  The  psychology  of  doubt.  See  Snowden,  "Psychology  of  Re- 
ligion."    Ch.  VI. 

2.  The  difference  between  God's  will  for  character  and  God's  will 
for  career. 

3.  The  temptations  pecuHar  to  young  men  and  young  women,  and 
how  best  to  help. 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  are  the  distinguishing  marks  of  the  Senior  age? 

2.  Why  is  the  Gospel  of  John  pecuHarly  suited  to  the  needs  of  young 
men  and  women? 

3.  W^hat  is  the  purpose  of  the  book  of  John? 

4.  Give  briefly  the  outline  of  the  argument  of  the  book  of  John. 

5.  What  should  be  the  teacher's  attitude  toward  the  pupil's  doubt? 

6.  How  may  temptation  be  mastered? 

7.  What  did  Jesus  mean  by  the  will  of  God? 

8.  Give  examples  of  how  Jesus  set  before  his  followers  the  necessity 
of  accepting  or  rejecting  God's  will. 

9.  What  Christian  service  makes  strongest  appeal  to  young  people? 

56 


STUDY  X 

HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  OLDER  YOUNG 
PEOPLE  AND  ADULTS 

Men  and  women  receive  from  Christ  what  best  meets  their  needs, 
and  it  is  the  glory  of  the  gospel  that  it  furnishes  inexhaustible  variety 
for  the  teaching  and  training  of  life.  The  distinguishing  mark  of 
adult  hfe  is  individuality,  and  the  message  of  Jesus  is  as  varied  as  the 
need  of  the  human  heart.  The  appeal  of  the  life  of  Jesus  to  the  adult 
mind  may  be  set  forth  in  a  sixfold  classification. 

THE  BIOGRAPHICAL  APPEAL 

If  Mark  has  qualities  suited  to  the  Junior  age,  if  Luke  makes  a 
particular  appeal  to  Intermediates,  and  John  has  added  charm  for 
Seniors  and  young  people,  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  suppKes  a  starting 
point  for  more  mature  minds.  It  is  the  teaching  Gospel.  The  fol- 
lowing outline  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  may  be  followed: 

Theme    "The  Gospel  of  the  Kingdom" 
Matt.  4:23;  9:35;   24:14 

1.  Biography. — Chs.  1-4. 

2.  Teaching. — The  Sermon  on  the  Mount.     Chs.  5-7. 

3.  Biography.— Chs.  8,  9. 

4.  Teaching. — Charge  to  the  Twelve.     Ch.  10. 

5.  Biography. — Chs.  11,  12. 

6.  Teaching.— Parables  of  the  Kingdom.     Ch.  13. 
?.  Biography.— Chs.  14-17. 

8.  Teaching. — Conditions  of  discipleship.     Ch.   18. 

9.  Biography.— Chs.  19-22. 

10.  Teaching. — Prophetic  messages.     Chs.  23-25. 

11.  Biography.— Chs.  26-28. 

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SOME  SUGGESTIONS 

1.  This  period  gives  the  opportunity  to  study  the  sources  of  the 
Gospel,  as  outlined  in  Study  II  of  this  course.  The  general  subject 
of  the  making  of  the  Bible  will  also  be  of  great  interest. 

For  reference. — Rhees,  "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."     Ch.  II. 
Smyth,  "How  We  Got  Our  Bible." 

2.  The  history  between  Old  and  New  Testament  periods  should  be 
outlined  and  made  famihar. 

For  reference. — Breed,  "The  Preparation  of  the  World  for  Christ." 
Riggs,  "A  History  of  the  Jewish  People." 

3.  The  geographical  setting  of  the  Gospel  has  elements  of  great 
interest  to  the  serious  student. 

For  reference.— Smith,  "The  Historical  Geography  of  the  Holy 
Land." 

4.  A  study  of  the  harmony  of  the  Gospels  should  be  undertaken, 
using  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  for  a  point  of  departure.  Such  a  study 
holds  in  its  keeping  a  wealth  of  interest. 

For  reference. — Stevens  and  Burton,  "Harmony  of  the  Gospels." 
Rhees,  "The  Life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth."     Ch.  III. 


THE  PERSON.AL  APPEAL 

There  is  great  need  for  the  personal  message  of  the  gospel.  The 
margin  of  Ufe  for  many  people  is  narrower  than  we  think.  The  com- 
mand of  Jesus,  "Feed  my  sheep,"  is  as  pertinent  for  teaching  as  for 
preaching. 

1.  Private  prayer. — Matt.  6:5,  6;  Luke  11:1-4.  Many  people 
need  guidance  and  help  in  the  method  of  prayer. 

2.  Assurance  of  faith.— Matt.  7:  15-20;  John,  chs.  14:21-23;  15. 
There  are  temptations  peculiar  to  maturity,  and  many  men  and  women 
lose  heart. 

3.  Comfort.— Matt.  11 :  28-30;  Luke  4 :  16-27;  John  14 :  16.  The 
gospel  is  a  message  of  comfort,  and  the  world  is  full  of  people  with 
disappointed  purposes  and  broken  hopes. 

4.  Trust. — Matt.  6:  19-34;  Luke  18:  1-14.  The  ringing  message 
of  the  Old  Testament,  "Fear  not,"  is  still  needed. 

5.  Suffering. — John,  chs.   14-17.     This  section  of  the  Gospel  of 

58 


HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  ADULTS 

John  has  been  called  the  "Holy  of  Holies."     It  would  make  a  fine 
study  for  adult  classes. 

For  reference. — Fosdick,  "The  Manhood  of  the  Master." 

Fosdick,  "The  Meaning  of  Prayer." 

Black,  "Comfort." 

Watson,  "The  Mind  of  the  Master." 

THE  EVANGELISTIC  APPEAL 
Jesus  promised  to  make  his  followers  "fishers  of  men."     It  was 
Jesus'  purpose  to  train  his  followers  to  become  evangelists,  heralds 
of  the  gospel.     The  Ufe  of  Christ  is  rich  in  evangelistic  teaching 
material. 

1.  The  message  of  Jesus. — Matt.  1:21;  Luke  19:10.  Jesus' 
purpose  in  fife  was  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost. 

2.  Jesus  and  his  first  disciples. — Matt.  4:  18-22.  Jesus  won  his 
followers  one  by  one.  Greatest  of  teachers,  he  was  also  the  great- 
est of  personal  workers. 

3.  Jesus  the  Evangelist. — Luke  4 :  42-44.  Jesus  moved  from  city 
to  city,  giving  the  message  of  life  to  as  many  as  would  hear.  His 
chief  evangelistic  method  was  preaching. 

4.  Jesus  the  Seeker.— Luke,  ch.  15,  The  joy  of  finding  the  lost — 
the  Lost  Sheep,  the  Lost  Coin,  the  Lost  Son — was  the  joy  of  Jesus 
and  the  joy  of  heaven. 

5.  Jesus  and  Zacchaeus. — Luke  19 :  1-10.  Jesus,  through  sjnn- 
pathy,  awoke  in  Zacchaeus  his  higher  nature  and  won  him  to  God. 

6.  Jesus  and  the  dying  thief. — Luke  23 :  39-43.  Some  one  has 
said  that  Jesus  saved  one  thief  on  the  cross,  and  one  only,  that  none 
may  despair  and  none  presume. 

7.  Jesus  and  Nicodemus. — John,  ch.  3.  The  story  of  Jesus  teach- 
ing Nicodemus  alone  in  the  night  reveals  to  us  something  of  his 
method. 

8.  Jesus  and  the  woman  of  Samaria. — John,  ch.  4.  Step  by  step, 
from  the  material  to  the  spiritual,  from  the  human  to  the  divine, 
from  sin  into  pardon  and  into  peace,  Jesus  led  the  woman. 

9.  Jesus  giving  the  gospel  invitation. — John  7  :  37-44.  He  waited 
his  opportunity  and  used  the  atmosphere  already  created  to  make  his 
appeal. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

10.  Jesus  and  the  blind  man. — John  9:35-41.  Jesus  found  the 
man  alone,  revealed  to  him  the  truth,  and  led  him  to  a  decision. 

11.  Jesus  and  the  Greeks. — John  12  :  20-36.  Philip  and  Andrew 
brought  the  visiting  strangers  to  him. 

12.  Leading  others  to  Christ. — John  the  Baptist,  John  1 :  35-37; 
John  and  Andrew,  John  1 :  40-42 ;  Philip,  John  1 :  45 ;  Philip  and 
Andrew,  John  12  :  20-22;   the  four  men,  Mark  2  :  1-12. 

For  reference. — Trumbull,  "Individual  Work  for  Individuals." 
Stone,  "Recruiting  for  Christ." 
Weatherford,  "Introducing  Men  to  Christ." 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  APPEAL 

Jesus  is  the  Teacher.  His  chief  work  was  teaching  and  training 
his  disciples.  He  taught  with  authority.  Many  courses  of  study  in 
the  teaching  of  Jesus  are  accessible.  It  is  only  possible  here  to  point 
out  the  possibilities  of  such  courses  of  study. 

1.  The  parables. — Most  of  the  teaching  of  Jesus  is  contained  in 
story  form  in  the  parables.  This  was  Jesus'  own  method  of  present- 
ing his  message. 

For  reference. — Hubbard,  "The  Teaching  of  Jesus." 
Taylor,  "The  Parables  of  our  Saviour." 

2.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount.— Matt.,  chs.  5-7;  Luke  6:20^9. 
The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  contains  the  new  moral  law  of  the  King- 
dom of  God. 

(a)  Citizenship  in  the  Kingdom.     Matt.  5  :  1-16. 

(b)  The  old  moral  code  and  the  new.     Matt.  5  :  17^8. 

(c)  Love,  the  motive  of  Hfe.     Matt.,  chs.  6;   7:  1-12. 

(d)  Warnings.     Matt.  7  :  13-27. 

3.  The  Fatherhood  of  God.— Matt.  7:7-11;  Mark  11:22-30; 
Luke,  ch.  15.  The  distinguishing  characteristic  of  any  rehgion  is  its 
doctrine  of  God.  The  teaching  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God  opens  up 
such  subjects  as: 

(a)  Worship. 

(b)  Prayer. 

(c)  Faith. 

(d)  Forgiveness. 

(e)  Trust. 

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HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  ADULTS 

(f)  Missions. 

(g)  Immortality. 

4.  The  Kingdom  of  God.— Matt.,  ch.  13;   Mark  4:26-29;   9:43- 

47;  Luke  13  :  20,  21.     Jesus  came  preaching  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

(a)  The  meaning  of  "the  kingdom  of  God." 

(b)  The  meaning  of  the  Baptist's  conception  of  the  Kingdom. 

(c)  The  meaning  of  the  Old  Testament  conception  of  the  King- 
dom. 

(d)  Conditions  of  entrance. 

(e)  Obstacles  to  entrance. 

(f)  Wealth  and  the  Kingdom. 

(g)  Responsibility. 

(h)  The  Kingdom  and  prayer. 

(i)    The  Kingdom  and  the  missionary  ideal. 

5.  Christian  duties.— Matt.  5  :  21-28;  Mark  12  :  32-34;  10:  2-12; 
Luke  10:  25-37.  The  teaching  of  Jesus  was  threefold:  in  regard  to 
God,  self,  and  one's  neighbor. 

(a)  The  worth  of  the  individual. 

(b)  Forgiveness. 

(c)  The  law  of  love. 

(d)  War. 

(e)  Politics. 

(f)  Society. 

(g)  The  city, 
(h)  Women, 
(i)    Children, 
(j)    The  family, 
(k)  Temptation. 
(1)    Stewardship. 

6.  The  Christian  hope. — John,  chs.  14-17. 

Jesus  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gospel  and 
holds  in  his  hands  the  keys  of  death.  Many  subjects  are  touched 
upon  in  his  teaching: 

(a)  Death. 

(b)  Eternal  life. 

(c)  Judgment. 

(d)  Heaven. 

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(e)  HeU. 

(f)  The  second  coming  of  Christ. 

7.  The  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.— John  14:16-30;  15:26,  27; 
16:7. 

Jesus  promised  the  Holy  Spirit  to  lead  his  disciples  into  all  the  truth. 
John  15  :  26.     This  subject  relates  itself  to  others: 

(a)  The  trinity. 

(b)  The  Church. 

(c)  Spiritual  power. 

(d)  Prayer. 

(e)  HoHness  of  Ufe. 

For  reference. — Speer,  "The  Principles  of  Jesus." 

Jackson,  "The  Teaching  of  Jesus." 

Brown,  "The  Main  Points." 

Kent,  "The  Life  and  Teaching  of  Jesus." 

THE  SOCIAL  APPEAL 
While  the  social  appeal  might  be  treated  under  the  head  of  the 
teaching  of  Jesus,  it  is  important  enough  to  receive  special  attention. 
The  call  to  service  presents  a  challenge  to  men  and  women. 

1.  The  miracles  of  Jesus. — The  miracles  of  Jesus  were  the  deeds  of 
Jesus.     They  were  "signs."     They  revealed  his  character. 

2.  The  worth  of  the  individual. — Luke  7:36-50;  Luke,  ch.  15. 
Jesus  taught  the  infinite  value  of  the  human  soul,  and  so  created  the 
social  conscience  of  our  modern  world. 

3.  Jesus  and  woman. — Luke  10:38-42;  John  4:5-42.  Jesus 
gave  to  woman  peculiar  honor. 

4.  Jesus  and  little  children.— Matt.  18:1-14;  Mark  9:33-37; 
Luke  17:  2.  The  modern  movement  for  child  welfare  goes  back  to 
Jesus. 

5.  Slavery. — John  15 :  12-15.  The  worth  of  every  life  made  slav- 
ery impossible. 

6.  The  brotherhood  of  man.— Matt.  23:8-12;  Mark  3:31-34. 
The  Fatherhood  of  God  creates  a  true  brotherhood  of  man. 

7.  God  and  our  neighbor. — Luke  10 :  25-37.  Jesus  pointed  out 
the  social  responsibility  of  the  individual.  Human  need  constitutes  a 
universal  obhgation. 

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HOW  TO  TEACH  THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST  TO  ADULTS 

8.  Life,  a  sacred  trust.— Luke  12 :  13-2L  "A  man  does  not  own 
his  wealth;  he  owes  it."     All  power  is  a  sacred  trust. 

9.  The  Kingdom  of  God.— Matt.  4:23;  9:35;  18:1-4.  The 
ultimate  reign  of  God  is  in  the  hearts  of  men. 

For  reference.— Matthews,  "The  Social  Teaching  of  Jesus." 
Peabody,  "Jesus  Christ  and  the  Social  Question." 
Jenks,  "The  Social  Significance  of  the  Teaching  of  Jesus." 

THE  MISSIONARY  APPEAL 

The  missionary  appeal  is  never  absent  from  the  life  of  Christ. 
"The  field  is  the  world."  Matt.  13 :  38.  Christianity  is  destined  to 
be  the  world  religion. 

1.  Jesus  as  a  Missionary.— Luke  4:  18,  19.  Jesus  spoke  of  him- 
self as  One  who  was  sent.  Jesus  went  into  Samaria,  John,  ch.  4, 
and  into  Phoenicia.      Mark  7  :  26. 

2.  The  apostles  as  missionaries. — Matt.  4:19;  Mark  3:14. 
Jesus'  method  suggests  the  great  care  that  should  be  taken  in  the 
preparation  of  missionaries  for  the  foreign  field. 

3.  The  gospel  is  for  all  the  world. — A  few  of  the  many  references 
found  in  the  Gospels  may  be  given: 

(a)  "The  light  of  the  world."     Matt.  5  : 1-14. 

(b)  "From  the  east  and  the  west."     Matt.  8:  11. 

(c)  "This  gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world."  Matt. 
26:13. 

(d)  "All  the  nations."     Matt.  28:19. 

(e)  "Other  sheep  I  have."    John  10:  16. 

(f)  "Will  draw  all  men."     John  12  :  32. 

(g)  "To  save  the  world."     John  12:47. 

(h)  "That  the  world  may  know."     John  14:  31. 
(i)    "Didst  send  me  into  the  world."     John  17:  18. 

4.  The  Great  Commission.— Matt.  28:  19,  20;  Mark  16:  15;  Luke 
24 :  46^8;  John  20 :  21.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the  Great  Com- 
mission is  mentioned  only  once  in  each  of  the  Gospels,  because  it 
sums  up  the  many  other  references  to  the  world-wide  propagation  of 
the  gospel. 

5.  The    Lord's   Prayer.— Matt.   6:9-15.     "Thy   kingdom   come. 

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Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven."     This  is  the  universal 
prayer  of  the  universal  Church. 

For  reference. — Horton,  "The  Bible  as  a  Missionary  Book." 

Doughty,  "The  Call  of  the  World." 

BOOKS  FOR  REFERENCE 

Wood.— "Adult  Class  Study." 

DuMMELOW. — "The  One  Volume  Bible  Commentary." 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  FURTHER  STUDY 

1.  What  significance  is  to  be  attached  to  the  statement:   "Thou 
art  not  yet  fifty  years  old"?     John  8 :  57. 

2.  Is  there  any  real  distinction  between  evangelistic  and  missionary 
work? 

3.  Why  is  the  modern  world  so  much  interested  in  the  social  teach- 
ings of  Jesus? 

CLASS  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  the  distinguishing  trait  of  the  adult  mind? 

2.  Give,  in  outline  form,  the  contents  of  Matthew's  Gospel. 

3.  What  is  meant  by  the  harmony  of  the  Gospels? 

4.  W'hat  are  some  of  the  personal  needs  of  men  and  women  which 
are  met  by  the  gospel? 

5.  Give  examples  of  Jesus'  method  of  presenting  the  gospel  to  in- 
dividuals. 

6.  Why  is  it  important  for  us  to  know  the  teachings  of  Jesus? 

7.  What  is  meant  by  the  social  teachings  of  Jesus? 

8.  Did  Jesus  expect  his  gospel  to  become  a  missionary  religion? 


64 


THE   NEW  WESTMINSTER    STANDARD    COURSE 
FOR  TEACHER  TRAINING 

That  the  man  of  God  may  he  perfect, 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works 


II  Timothy  ?:17 


FIRST  YEAR,  PART  IV 

THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


BY 
ROBERT  WELLS  VEACH,  D.D. 


The  books  of  this  course  are  based  on  the  standard 

adopted    by  the    Sunday   School    Council    of 

Evangelical  Denominations  and  approved 

by  the  International  Sunday  School 

Association 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 
THE    WESTMINSTER    PRESS 

1919 


Study  to  shew  thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman 
that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the 
word  of  truth. 

All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profit- 
able for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness: 

That  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works. 

II  Timothy  2:  15;  3:  16,  17. 


Copyright,  1917 
By  F.  M.  Braselman 


FOREWORD 

The  outlines  of  the  Standard  Teacher  Training  Course  as  approved 
by  the  Sunday  School  Council  of  Evangelical  Denominations  and  the 
International  Sunday  School  Association  provide  for  three  years  of 
forty  lessons  each. 

The  outline  of  the  first  year's  work,  including  the  subjects  deemed 
most  vital  in  the  workers'  training,  is  as  follows: 

Part  I.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Pupil. 

Part  11.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Principles  of  Teaching,  with  emphasis 
on  general  psychology. 

Part  III.  Ten  Lessons  on  How  to  Teach  the  Life  of  Christ  in  the 
different  grades. 

Part  IV.  Ten  Lessons  on  the  Sunday  School,  being  an  outHne  of 
the  aim,  curriculum,  and  organization  of  the  modern  Sunday  school. 

When  the  new  course  for  the  first  year  is  compared  with  the  previous 
First  Standard  Course,  it  will  be  noted  that  an  increased  amount  of 
BibHcal  knowledge  is  necessary  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  Those 
who  prepared  the  outHne,  as  well  as  the  writers  of  the  lessons,  assume 
that  a  fairly  good  knowledge  of  the  Bible  has  been  gained  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  class  during  the  Intermediate  and  Senior  years  of  the  Sun- 
day school. 

The  arrangement  of  these  lessons  calls  for  much  classroom  discus- 
sion and  outside  observation.  This  is  a  most  valuable  method.  The 
careful  assignment  of  each  lesson  will  prove  helpful. 


STUDY  I 
THE  HISTORY  AND  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

1.  Hebrew  history. — A  careful  study  of  Gen.  18:17-19  reveals 
the  fact  that  God  depends  for  the  realization  of  his  Kingdom  upon 
faithful  teachers  who,  Uke  Abraham,  instruct  their  generation. 
Through  centuries  of  almost  hopeless  bondage  in  Egypt,  the  fact  and 
promises  of  God  were  kept  aHve  by  the  faithful  Hebrew  fathers  and 
mothers  who  taught  their  children  to  ''keep  the  way  of  Jehovah,  to 
do  righteousness  and  justice."  All  his  later  education  in  the  court  of 
Pharaoh  could  not  erase  these  fundamental  convictions  thus  early 
implanted  in  the  mind  of  Moses.  Heb.  11 :  23-28.  As  a  result,  his 
young  soul  reacted  passionately  and  violently  against  the  unrighteous- 
ness and  injustice  that  were  all  about  him,  thereby  shaping  his  Hfe 
career  and  opening  up  the  way  for  a  fuller  revelation  of  God.  Ex. 
2:11-15;   3:1-12. 

Moses  was  the  first  public  teacher  of  the  Hebrew  rehgion.  All  of 
his  teaching  grew  out  of  three  fundamental  facts:  the  fact  of  God, 
our  duty  toward  God,  and  our  duty  toward  our  fellow  men.  He  was 
always  tr>dng  to  teach  people  the  meaning  and  the  practice  of  wor- 
ship, righteousness,  justice,  and  love.  Thus  he  gave  to  religion  a 
moral  foundation  and  an  educational  method  which  remain  unchanged 
to-day. 

Five  institutions  of  religious  education  were  established:  (1)  The 
pubHc  worship  in  the  tabernacle.  (2)  The  observance  and  explanation 
of  the  great  feast  days.  (3)  The  Sabbath  Day.  (4)  The  pubKc  in- 
struction of  the  people.  (5)  The  instruction  of  children  in  the  home. 
Ex.,  chs.  24-40;  Deut.,  chs.  5,  6;  Josh.  8 :  30-35;  24:  1-28. 

For  more  than  seven  centuries  Israel  apparently  neglected  her 
educational  task,  and  the  result  was  idolatry,  sin,  national  degeneracy, 
and  captivity.  But  the  Hebrew  people  learned  their  bitter  lesson  and 
after  the  return  from  captivity  a  system  of  education  gradually  grew 
up.     The  home  and  the  synagogue  were  the  institutions  of  instruction. 

5 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

The  Law  and  the  Prophets  were  the  principal  books  studied.  At  the 
time  of  the  birth  of  Christ,  synagogues,  or  schools  of  rehgious  educa- 
tion, had  been  estabUshed  throughout  Palestine  and  in  every  impor- 
tant city  in  the  world.  Trained  teachers  were  required  and  sessions 
were  held  on  week  days.  In  A.  D.  64,  attendance  on  the  part  of 
boys  was  made  compulsory. 

2.  Early  Christian  education. — Jesus  was  constantly  teaching  in- 
dividuals, the  multitudes,  and,  above  all,  the  twelve  apostles.  Three 
methods  were  used  by  Jesus :  worship,  instruction,  and  service,  along 
the  country  highways  and  in  the  cities. 

Four  fundamental  educational  principles  were  stated  by  Jesus: 
(1)  Character  is  a  process  of  growth,  and  the  heart  of  a  little  child  is 
the  key  to  the  Kingdom  of  heaven.  Mark  10 :  15;  Luke  18  :  17.  (2) 
Growth  in  Christian  character  is  possible  only  through  a  personal 
relation  to  Christ.  John  15 :  1-16.  (3)  Truth  never  becomes  a  part 
of  character  until  it  is  given  expression  in  conduct.  Matt.  7 :  15-27; 
Luke  10 :  25-37.  (4)  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  great  Teacher.  John 
16:7-15. 

Two  institutions  of  education  were  designated  by  Jesus,  namely, 
the  home  and  the  Church.  Undoubtedly  Jesus  intended  that  these 
should  have  as  large  educational  functions. as  the  Jewish  home  and 
synagogue. 

Six  things  may  be  noted  of  educational  significance  during  the  first 
centuries  of  Christianity:  (1)  The  method  of  teaching  from  house  to 
house.  (2)  The  weekly  gathering  around  the  Lord's  Table  for  wor- 
ship, communion,  and  instruction  regarding  the  great  cardinal  truths 
of  Christianity.  (3)  The  gathering  together  of  the  Scriptures  into 
the  canon,  or  Bible,  to  be  used  as  an  authoritative  textbook.  (4) 
The  formulation  of  Christian  truth  and  experience  into  great  doctrines 
or  concepts.  (5)  The  organization  of  catechetical  classes  for  purposes 
of  instruction  in  the  Christian  faith.  (6)  The  remarkable  expression 
of  Christian  hf e  through  charity,  holy  hving,  and  martyrdom.  During 
this  period,  the  Christian  Church  grew  with  astonishing  rapidity. 

3.  The  Dark  Ages.— The  period  from  the  fifth  century  through  the 
twelfth  century  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  "Dark  Ages."  In  the  midst 
of  Roman  decadence  and  barbaric  ignorance  and  superstition,  the 
Church  forgot  its  educational  task.     The  lust  for  power  consumed  all 

6 


THE  HISTORY  AND  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

its  energies.     Learning  was  confined  largely  to  a  few  monasteries  and 
the  people  were  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  Bible. 

4.  The  Reformation  period. — The  revival  of  Greek  learning,  the 
invention  of  the  printing  press,  and  the  translation  of  the  Bible  by 
Wychf,  marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  religious  education. 
From  Wyclif  the  torch  of  religious  freedom  passed  to  John  Huss 
and  from  John  Huss  to  Luther;  the  result  was  the  Reformation. 
Luther  beHeved  that  the  success  of  the  Reformation  depended  upon 
the  reUgious  education  of  the  people.  He  did  much  to  provide  the 
proper  literature  and  placed  a  high  estimate  upon  the  teacher.  So, 
also,  John  Calvin  and  Zwingli  were  leaders  in  the  educational  life  of 
their  day  and  attached  great  value  to  education  as  a  bulwark  of 
Protestant  Christianity.  Moral  and  reUgious  instruction  became  a 
part  of  public  education.  The  people  were  taught  the  Bible  and  chil- 
dren received  catechetical  instruction  as  a  preparation  for  Church 
membership. 

5.  Modern  education  and  the  Sunday  school. — Comenius,  Pesta- 
lozzi,  and  Froebel  were  the  great  reformers  in  modern  education. 
They  placed  the  emphasis  upon  a  study  of  the  fundamental  needs  and 
rights  of  the  child.  They  believed  that  both  the  Church  and  the  State 
should  see  to  it  that  every  child,  rich  or  poor,  should  have  the  oppor- 
tunity for  a  good  education.  About  1775  Miss  Hannah  Ball  and  John 
OberHn,  of  England,  began  to  gather  children  together,  before  the 
church  services,  for  a  period  of  religious  instruction.  About  the  same 
time  Robert  Raikes  established  schools  for  poor  children,  where  the 
Bible  and  the  Catechism,  as  well  as  reading  and  arithmetic,  were 
taught. 

The  movement  passed  to  America,  and  in  1791  "The  First-Day  or 
Sunday  School  Society"  was  organized  in  Philadelphia.  Bishop  As- 
bury  is  thought  to  have  started  a  Sunday  school  in  Virginia  in  1786, 
but  Httle  is  known  of  it.  Between  1791  and  1816,  Sunday  schools 
were  started  in  Boston,  New  York,  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  Pawtucket, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania.  The  movement  gathered 
strength  rapidly,  and  in  1824  the  "American  Sunday  School  Union" 
was  organized,  for  the  purpose  of  publishing  necessary  literature  and 
planting  schools  in  communities  where  they  were  needed.  About 
1872  the  International  Sunday  School  Association  came  into  existence. 

7 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

The  various  denominations,  now  fully  awake  to  the  value  of  the  Sun- 
day school,  began  to  create  general  agencies  and  educational  depart- 
ments to  push  and  perfect  the  work.  Since  the  adoption  of  the  Uni- 
form Lesson  System  about  1872  the  growth  and  development  have 
been  steady.  Since  the  adoption  of  the  Graded  Lesson  idea  about 
1908,  and  the  consequent  emphasis  upon  the  training  of  teachers  and 
the  grading  of  the  schools,  growth  has  been  still  more  rapid.  The 
number  now  enrolled  in  Protestant  Sunday  schools  in  North  America 
is  twenty  miUion,  or  nearly  one  fifth  of  the  entire  population.  The 
principle  of  separating  Church  and  State  in  education  has  practically 
excluded  moral  and  reHgious  instruction  from  our  pubHc  schools  and 
has  placed  upon  the  Church  the  full  responsibility  for  this  phase  of 
education.  The  present  problem  is,  how  to  adjust  the  Sunday  school 
so  as  to  enable  it  to  meet  this  gigantic  task. 


THE  PURPOSE  AND  FUNCTION  OF  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

1.  Purpose. — In  a  general  sense  the  Sunday  school  is  the  Church 
engaged  directly  in  the  moral  and  rehgious  education  of  the  people, 
thereby  supplementing  the  work  of  the  pubHc  school  and  thus  giving 
to  the  nation  a  system  of  Christian  education.  In  particular  it  is  the 
purpose  of  the  Sunday  school :  (1)  To  develop  Christhke  lives,  rooted 
and  built  up  in  the  Christian  faith.  (2)  To  help  young  people  to 
reaUze  the  moral  and  social  ideals  of  Jesus  in  all  the  common  relation- 
ships of  Hfe,  and  to  devote  themselves  to  the  world-wide  extension  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God.  (3)  To  cooperate  with  other  organizations  in 
the  Church  in  training  efficient  leaders,  teachers,  and  officers  for  all 
kinds  of  Church  work. 

2.  Function. — The  Sunday  school  should  function  in  three  ways : 
through  worship,  instruction,  and  service. 

(1)  Worship  is  the  reverent  response  of  the  soul  to  the  conscious 
presence  of  God.  If  the  Church  or  the  Sunday  school  fails  to  impress 
the  people  with  the  solemn  and  holy  fact  of  God's  presence,  worship 
becomes  an  empty  form,  a  mere  opening  exercise,  more  harmful  than 
helpful  because  it  engenders  irreverence. 

(2)  Instruction  is  the  chief  work  of  the  Sunday  school,  but  this  in- 
struction apart  from  its  relation  to  worship  and  the  quickening  of  the 


THE  HISTORY  AND  PURPOSE  OF  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

religious  emotions,  is  not  religious  instruction.  Moreover,  instruction 
is  developing  the  mind  through  both  impression  and  expression.  The 
pupil  must  react  to  the  truth  presented  through  self-expression  before 
the  teaching  process  is  complete. 

(3)  Conduct  is  the  test  of  character  and  the  goal  of  all  teaching. 
It  is  the  business  of  the  Sunday-school  superintendent  and  teachers 
to  organize  the  school  for  definite  service  and  to  correlate  all  teaching 
with  such  expressional  organizations  as  the  Young  People's  Society. 


THE  CHURCH  AND  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

The  Sunday  school  is  the  Church  engaged  in  rehgious  education. 
Attendance  upon  the  Sunday  school  is  not  a  substitute  for  the  pubhc 
worship  of  God.  Such  a  notion  upon  the  part  of  either  teacher  or 
pupil  is  fatal.  There  can  be  no  substitute  for  public  worship,  for  the 
open  confession  of  Christ,  for  the  intimate  communion  made  possible 
through  the  sacraments.  It  should  be  the  chief  aim  of  the  Sunday 
school  to  contribute  to,  and  not  to  detract  from,  the  importance  of 
these  things. 

The  Sunday  school  as  the  chief  educational  agency  of  the  Church 
should  be  subject  to  the  governance  of  the  Church.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  officers  of  a  church,  including  the  pastor,  should  fully  reahze 
the  vast  importance  of  the  Sunday  school  and  give  to  it  an  inteUigent 
and  sympathetic  support  far  beyond  what  they  have  given  in  the  past. 
By  support  we  mean  personal  cooperation,  equipment,  and  financial 
aid. 

Devotional  Thought.^Prayer  for  the  Sunday  schools  throughout 
the  world  that  they  may  reahze  their  true  purpose.  Special  prayer 
for  the  Sunday-school  missionaries  who  in  America  and  in  other  lands 
are  seeking  to  give  all  children  instruction  in  the  Word  of  God.  Matt. 
9 :  36-38. 

EXPERIMENTAL  WORK 

Make  a  survey  of  your  own  and  one  other  Sunday  school  in  the  light 
of  this  and  subsequent  lessons.  Draw  up  a  plan  of  how  your  Sunday 
school  could  be  reorganized,  administered,  and  equipped.  Take  fully 
into  account  the  actual  situation. 

9 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  What,  in  your  opinion,  were  the  three  most  important  periods 
in  the  history  of  rcHgious  education?     Give  reasons  for  your  choice. 

2.  What  were  the  two  fundamental  principles  of  the  modern  re- 
formers? 

3.  What  has  been  the  efifect  of  the  separation  of  Church  and  State 
with  reference  to  religious  education? 

4.  State  in  your  own  words  the  purpose  and  function  of  the  Sunday 
school. 

5.  What  is  the  great  danger  of  emphasizing  the  Sunday  school  as 
the  chief  instrument  of  rehgious  education? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Graves. — "The  History  of  Education."     Vols.  I,  II. 
Nichols.— " Growth  of  the  Christian  Church."     Vols.  I,  II. 
Trumbull. — "Yale  Lectures  on  the  Sunday  School." 
"The    Encyclopedia    of    Sunday    Schools."     Article    on    Sunday 
Schools. 


10 


STUDY  II 
GENERAL  ORGANIZATION,  HOUSING,  AND  EQUIPMENT 

GENERAL  ORGANIZATION 

1.  Council  of  religious  education. — The  Church  has  a  large  educa- 
tional task,  including  the  home  and  many  other  organizations  as  well 
as  the  Sunday  school.  Each  church  should  therefore  have  a  council  of 
religious  education  or  an  educational  committee  created  by  the  ruling 
authorities  in  the  church,  the  session,  or  the  Board  of  Deacons.  Such 
a  committee  or  council  would  naturally  be  made  up  of  officers  or  repre- 
sentatives from  each  society  or  group  of  organizations  in  the  church 
which  is  doing  any  kind  of  educational  work.  The  pastor  would,  of 
course,  be  a  member. 

The  duties  of  such  a  council  are  many.  It  should  meet  three  or 
four  times  a  year  to  consider  the  whole  educational  work  of  the  church 
and  to  plan  how  it  can  be  unified  and  developed  as  one  great  work. 
The  many  societies  and  organizations  are  hke  so  many  spokes  in  a 
wheel;  the  council  is  the  hub  in  which  they  all  unite.  Without  a 
hub  there  can  be  no  wheel.  A  very  small  church  may  have  such  a 
council,  which  may  consist  of  the  pastor,  the  session,  the  Sunday-school 
superintendents,  and  one  or  two  others.  In  fact,  the  smaller  the 
church,  the  easier  it  is  to  unify  the  work.  The  council  will  create 
committees  to  deal  definitely  with  specific  phases  of  the  work,  for 
instance,  a  committee  on  the  Sunday  school,  a  committee  on  spiritual 
life  and  worship,  dealing  with  the  attendance  of  children  upon  the 
church,  the  devotional  life  of  young  people,  and  so  forth.  A  com- 
mittee might  well  seek  to  unify  and  promote  missionary  education 
and  benevolences  throughout  the  church,  while  a  committee,  including 
the  pastor,  members  of  the  session,  and  the  leaders  in  the  Home  and 
Cradle  Roll  departments,  should  seek  to  develop  family  worship  and 
religious  training  in  the  home  and  to  bring  about  close  and  sympa- 
thetic relation  between  the  home  and  the  Sunday  school. 

2.  Superintendent. — This  officer  has  three  functions  :  organization, 
administration,  and  education.     Many  superintendents  are  poor  edu- 

11 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

cators;  in  this  case  there  should  be  an  educational  superintendent, 
a  public-school  teacher  or  the  pastor,  who  should  be  a  trained  educator 
and  who  would  help  to  plan  and  administer  the  educational  side  of  the 
school  work.  In  large  churches  an  educational  superintendent  is 
often  a  paid  officer  known  as  a  director  of  religious  education.  He 
may  also  act  as  the  superintendent.  The  whole  work  of  organiza- 
tion and  administration  must  be  done  and  done  efifectively  by  the 
superintendent.  Above  all,  the  superintendent  should  be  a  man  of 
sterUng  character,  strong  personaHty,  sympathetic,  tactful,  and  en- 
thusiastic, a  man  who  loves  God  and  Httle  children  more  than  he  loves 
his  position.  The  superintendent  should  have  a  cabinet  or  executive 
committee  composed  of  Sunday-school  officers  and  any  others  whom 
it  may  be  deemed  wise  to  designate. 

3.  Assistant  superintendent. — A  specific  task  for  every  officer 
should  be  the  rule  of  every  school,  large  or  small.  The  assistant  super- 
intendent may  be  responsible  for  the  preparation  of  the  equipment  and 
for  looking  after  supply  teachers  or  he  may  be  a  classffication  and 
Hterature  superintendent.  This  officer  should  meet  new  pupils,  see 
that  they  are  enrolled  and  assigned  to  the  proper  classes,  and  keep 
track  of  the  supply  and  distribution  of  the  hterature. 

4.  Additional  officers. — A  secretary,  a  treasurer,  a  librarian,  and 
their  assistants,  together  with  a  competent  head  usher  who  will  be  at 
the  door,  greet  the  children  cheerfully,  get  hold  of  strangers,  and  keep 
the  incoming  pupils  orderly,  wiU  complete  the  number  of  general 
officers  required  in  the  organization  of  the  average  school.  The  func- 
tions of  secretary  and  hbrarian  will  be  described  later. 

5.  Standing  committees. — A  few  committees  well  selected  are  of 
great  value.  Too  many  committees  clog  the  organization.  A  school 
should  have  (1)  a  finance  conunittee,  which  will  make  up  a  budget,  plan 
a  method  of  finance,  provide  for  benevolences,  supervise  all  expendi- 
tures, and  render  an  annual  report.  (2)  A  missionary  committee  is 
likemse  necessary.  Until  missionary  instruction  and  systematic  giv- 
ing find  adequate  expression  in  the  regular  curriculum,  a  committee 
to  emphasize  this  aspect  of  education  should  exist.  It  should  be  a 
part  of  the  larger  united  committee  on  missionary  instruction  for  the 
whole  church.  (3)  A  social  and  recreation  committee  would  be  of 
real  value  to  the  Intermediate  and  Senior  departments.     (4)  A  cur- 

12 


GENERAL  ORGANIZATION,  HOUSING,  AND  EQUIPMENT 

riculum  and  library  committee  may  be  affiliated  very  closely  with  a 
general  educational  committee.  Such  a  committee  should  study  the 
curriculum  and  its  various  adaptations,  provide  for  the  training  of 
teachers,  ascertain  the  relation  of  additional  material,  direct  the  selec- 
tion of  books,  and  so  forth. 

6.  Departmental  superintendents  or  principals. — Every  well-organ- 
ized school  will  have  department  heads  who  will  be  to  their  depart- 
ments what  the  principal  is  to  the  public  school.  Their  work  is  largely 
educational,  and  they  should  be  selected  with  great  care  and  given  full 
responsibihty  and  authority  for  their  task. 

7.  Departmental  grading. — Certain  departments  are  now  generally 
recognized.  The  work  of  teacher-training  is  of  such  importance  that 
it  is  being  treated  as  a  separate  department.  The  following  diagram 
shows  the  general  plan  of  organization  along  with  the  departmental 
arrangement  in  the  average  school  of  more  than  seventy-five  mem- 
bers. By  using  curtains  and  movable  partitions,  a  small  school  of  less 
than  seventy-five  members,  meeting  in  only  one  room,  may  also  have 
all  these  divisions.     See  Study  VII. 


THE  CHURCH  COUNCIL  0 



F  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION 

Committee  on 

the  Sunday  Schc 

ol 

or  the  Executive  Committee 

Superintendent,  Pastor, 

and  other  Officers 

Finance  Committee 
Missionary  Committee 

I>esson  Committee 

Other  Committees 

DIVISIONS 

Elementary 

Secondary 

Adult                             Tcarher-training 

Ages        up        to 

Ages    twelve     to 

Ages      twenty-         First     Year 

twelve. 

twenty-four. 

five  and  up.               Class. 

Cradle  RoU. 

Intermed  iate, 

Organized                    Second        Year 

Beginners,      four 

twelve,       thir- 

Classes.                      Class. 

and  five  years. 

teen,  and  four- 

Home   Depart-         Third    Year 

Primary,    six. 

teen  years. 

ment.                           Class. 

seven,  and  eight 

Senior, fifteen, six- 

Parents' Class.          Monthly  Coun- 

years. 

teen,  and  seven- 

Extension                      cil  of  Teach- 

Junior,  nine,  ten, 

teen  years. 

Classes.                       ers. 

and      eleven 

Young    People's. 

Departmental 

years. 

eighteen          to 

Training 

twenty-four 

Groups. 

years. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

HOUSING  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

It  has  proved  a  shortsighted  policy  to  provide  inadequately  for  a 
growing  Sunday  school.  Four  stages  have  marked  the  movement  for 
better  housing:  (1)  Providing  only  the  auditorium,  and  this  with 
immovable  seats;  (2)  one  additional  room,  but  unadapted  to  grading; 
(3)  the  Akron  plan  where  the  school  may  be  partially  graded,  but  all 
divisions  may  assemble  at  one  time;  (4)  separate  assembly  and  class- 
rooms for  each  division  or  department. 

Some  adaptation  of  the  fourth  plan  is  bound  to  prevail.  Competent 
architects  are  giving  their  entire  time  to  a  study  of  the  problem  of 
proper  housing  in  the  hght  of  advanced  educational  ideas.  The  first 
step  is  to  provide  separate  accommodations  for  the  three  elementary 
departments,  including  children  from  four  to  eleven  or  twelve  years. 
They  may  first  assemble  for  the  opening  exercises,  then  separate  into 
three  groups  for  instruction.  From  time  to  time  they  may  assemble 
for  the  closing  exercises. 

The  Secondary  Division,  including  all  pupils  from  twelve  to  twenty- 
four  years,  may  be  arranged  in  the  same  way,  with  additional  provision 
for  separate  classrooms.  The  Adult  Division,  if  very  small,  may  be 
crowded  in  with  the  Secondary  Division,  but  this  is  not  advisable. 
The  auditorium  may  be  used  if  separate  rooms  for  each  adult  class 
cannot  be  provided.  The  Teacher-Training  Division  should  have 
separate  rooms  where  they  may  have  at  least  forty-five  minutes  for 
uninterrupted  discussion  of  the  lesson. 

The  second  step  is  to  provide  entirely  separate  rooms  for  as  many 
departments  as  possible.  In  the  Secondary  Division  these  should  be 
so  arranged  that  the  whole  division  may  be  assembled  for  opening 
or  closing  exercises. 

Note. — With  these  general  principles  before  them,  let  the  members 
of  the  training  class  be  divided  into  two  groups,  each  group  to 
submit  (1)  an  entirely  new  plan  and  (2)  a  plan  for  making  the  best 
use  of  the  building  already  at  hand. 

EQXnPMENT 

The  particular  equipment  of  each  department  ^^^ll  be  discussed  in 
later  studies.  We  will  treat  here  only  the  general  aspects  of  the  ques- 
tion. 

14 


GENERAL  ORGANIZATION,  HOUSING,  AND  EQUIPMENT 

1.  Seating. — The  old-time  bench  must  give  way  to  seats  or  chairs 
that  will  be  adapted  to  the  pupil.  Gathering  a  class  around  a  table 
has  a  distinct  advantage. 

2.  Maps  and  blackboards  should  be  provided  not  only  for  each  de- 
partment, but  for  individual  classes.  A  teacher  who  does  not  have 
a  separate  classroom  can  get  maps  on  small  standards  and  use  small 
blackboards  to  advantage.  Classes  have  often  raised  the  money  to 
purchase  their  own  equipment. 

3.  Lesson  helps. — When  the  proper  committee  has  selected  the 
lesson  helps,  the  secretary  or  superintendent  of  Hterature  should  see 
that  they  are  promptly  ordered  and  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  de- 
partment. If  properly  handled  as  part  of  the  teaching  material,  Sun- 
day-school papers  may  be  of  great  educational  value. 

4.  Bibles. — Bibles  should  be  furnished  for  every  pupil  above  the 
Primary  Department.  The  school  that  neglects  to  create  a  love  for 
the  Bible,  and  a  familiarity  with  its  general  content,  has  failed  in  one 
of  its  fundamental  duties. 

5.  Songbooks. — Plenty  of  well-adapted  songbooks  are  a  necessity 
in  any  school.  We  cannot  create  a  love  for  good  music  and  a  deep, 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  enduring  hymns  of  the  Church  without 
good  songbooks. 

6.  Library. — It  is  impossible  to  supervise  too  carefully  the  reading 
of  children  and  young  people.  Even  where  there  is  a  pubhc  Ubrary, 
the  church  should  have  a  library  of  its  own.  Many  churches  have 
librarians  who  will  recommend  each  week  a  Hst  of  books  which  can  be 
obtained  from  the  public  library.  To  get  books  read,  to  get  the  proper 
books  into  the  hands  of  the  boy  or  girl  at  the  strategic  time,  is  an  art 
calHng  for  patient  insight,  a  personal  knowledge  of  pupils,  and  the 
intimate  cooperation  of  teachers.  Books  for  children  should  include 
wholesome,  vital  reading  on  general  subjects,  Bible  stories,  nature 
books,  missionary  stories,  and  biography. 

The  Hbrary  should  include  a  Bible  dictionary,  a  commentary  on 
the  Bible,  a  Bible  atlas,  a  book  on  Church  history,  and  such  books  as 
"The  Life  of  Christ,"  "The  Life  of  Paul,"  "How  We  Got  Our  Bible," 
and  others.  Teachers  of  Intermediate  and  Senior  classes  should  plan 
to  have  pupils  consult  such  books  in  the  preparation  of  brief  papers. 
This  has  been  done  with  great  success.    Every  church  could  have  a 

15 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

well-selected  group  of  books  which  treat  different  phases  of  the  mis- 
sionary activities  of  the  Church.  It  should  also  have  missionary 
biographies,  and  stories  of  mission  lands,  to  meet  the  needs  of  aU  ages. 
Books  deaUng  with  child  study,  principles  and  methods  of  teaching, 
Sunday-school  organization,  and  work  with  young  people,  should  be 
at  the  command  of  teachers  and  other  church  workers.  Such  a  li- 
brary will  supplement  the  public  hbrary  and,  if  the  church  has  a  wide- 
awake, capable  librarian,  will  be  of  incalculable  value. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  superintendents  and  of^cers 
of  all  Sunday  schools  that  they  may  get  a  vision  of  the  greatness  of 
their  task  and  a  spiritual  blessing  sufficient  for  the  work. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  Give  two  reasons  why  a  church  should  be  organized  for  educa- 
tional purposes. 

2.  Describe  the  committee  or  council  of  rehgious  education. 

3.  What  are  the  functions  and  qualifications  of  a  superintendent? 

4.  Describe  a  properly  housed  and  well-equipped  Sunday  school. 

5.  What  is  the  scope  of  an  adequate  hbrary  and  what  are  the  func- 
tions and  quahfications  of  a  hbrarian? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

"The  Council  of  Rehgious  Education."     (Leaflet.) 
Faris.— "The  Sunday  School  at  Work."     Chs.  I-V. 
Lawrance. — "The  Sunday  School  Organized  for  Service." 
Articles  in  The  Christian  Educator  for  1916-1917  on  "Changing 
Conceptions  of  the  Sunday  School,"  by  Fergusson;    "The  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Future,"  by  Fracker;  and  "The  Sunday-School  Secre- 
tary," by  Gates. 


16 


STUDY  III 

THE  HISTORY  AND  PRINCIPLES  OF  LESSON-MAKING 
AND  GRADING 

The  first  schools  organized  by  Robert  Raikes  included  in  the  cur- 
riculum, arithmetic,  speUing,  geography,  the  Bible,  and  the  Cate- 
chism. The  public  schools  gradually  took  over  the  teaching  of  the 
first  three,  leaving  the  Bible  and  the  Catechism  to  the  Church.  Prior 
to  1870  the  whole  question  of  the  curriculum  was  in  a  somewhat 
chaotic  condition.  Individual  teachers  very  largely  selected  their 
own  course  of  study, 

THE  UNIFORM  LESSONS 

1.  History. — In  1867  B.  F.  Jacobs  conceived  the  idea  that  the  Sun- 
day-school work  of  the  world  could  be  unified  and  greatly  improved 
if  all  classes  should  engage  in  the  study  of  the  same  lesson  at  the  same 
time.  The  result  was  the  system  of  Uniform  Lessons  selected  by  an 
International  Lesson  Committee  and  edited  and  pubHshed  by  each 
denomination.  This  marked  a  great  advance  in  Sunday-school  work. 
It  fastened  the  attention  of  the  Church  upon  the  importance  of  the 
curriculum,  gave  the  denominations  oversight  of  the  materials  being 
taught,  and  furnished  the  first  real  basis  of  unity  in  Sunday-school 
work. 

2.  Underlying  principles. — The  original  aim  of  these  lessons  was  to 
go  through  the  Bible  every  seven  years,  presenting  to  all  ahke,  ir- 
respective of  age,  such  materials  as  the  committee  thought  the  pupil 
ought  to  study.  It  rests  upon  the  principle  that  any  lesson  once 
chosen  may  be  so  adapted  as  to  meet  the  needs  of  all  ages.  It  is 
true  that  every  person  should  be  familiar  with  the  general  content  of 
Scripture,  but  the  particular  needs  of  age  groups  cannot  safely  be 
ignored. 

3.  Modifications. — Since  the  introduction  of  the  idea  of  graded 
lesson-making,  the  International  Lesson  Committee  has  felt  compelled 

17 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

to  modify  its  treatment  of  the  old  Uniform  Lesson  and  as  a  result  will 
offer  in  1918  a  departmentalized  Uniform  Lesson.  The  lesson  ma- 
terial will  be  chosen  as  before,  with  sole  reference  to  its  uniformity  and 
place  in  the  seven-year  cycle.  From  each  particular  lesson  an  effort 
has  been  made  to  deduce  different  themes  suitable  for  the  different 
department  groups.  There  are  times  when  this  has  some  degree  of 
value,  but  in  most  cases  it  is  strained  and  almost  arbitrary  and  has 
the  effect  of  calling  seriously  into  question  the  vaHdity  of  the  uniform 
scheme  of  lesson-making. 

THE  CLOSELY  GRADED  LESSONS 

1.  History. — Following  the  lead  of  such  great  reformers  as  Pesta- 
lozzi  and  Froebel,  thoughtful  Sunday-school  leaders  gained  a  wholly 
new  appreciation  of  the  rehgious  needs  of  the  child  and  the  necessity 
for  a  change  in  the  lesson  materials  which  would  enable  teachers  to 
meet  these  needs.  They  saw  what  Jesus  so  forcibly  taught,  that  the 
child,  with  his  rehgious  needs,  his  unfolding  hfe,  and  his  infinite  pos- 
sibihties,  is  the  real  key  to  rehgious  education.  In  1908  the  Inter- 
national Closely  Graded  Lessons  were  introduced.  They  were  re- 
ceived with  considerable  enthusiasm.  Owing  to  some  dissatisfaction 
on  the  part  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  the  series  was  somewhat  modi- 
fied for  use  in  Presbyterian  churches  by  substituting  courses  in  the 
Intermediate  and  Senior  grades. 

2.  Underlying  principles. — The  original  Graded  Lessons  rest  upon 
the  following  general  principles: 

(1)  The  child  in  its  growth  passes  through  well-defined  periods  of 
development  during  which  certain  moral  and  rehgious  characteristics 
are  dominant  in  the  form  of  awakened  instincts,  impulses,  tendencies, 
and  experiences.  These  create  the  spontaneous  interest  to  which  the 
successful  teacher  must  appeal. 

(2)  The  Scripture  materials  should  be  selected  with  a  view  to 
meeting  these  needs  and  observing  these  natural  stages  in  rehgious 
growth;  hence  the  treatment  of  certain  themes  during  each  period  of 
development. 

(3)  The  mental  Hfe  develops  step  by  step  in  its  grasp  of  great  con- 
cepts or  truths.  Each  preceding  step  is  necessary  in  order  that  the 
next  may  be  taken  intelligently  and  constructively.     These  steps 

18 


LESSON-MAKING  AND  GRADING 

form  the  successive  years  of  study,  age  limits  being  the  basis  of  divi- 
sion within  the  group. 

(4)  Extra-Biblical  material,  such  as  Church  history,  missions,  and 
Hterature,  are  necessary  to  round  out  and  make  vital  the  present-day 
meaning  of  Scripture. 

(5)  The  progressive  development  of  the  lesson  material,  Hnked  up 
with  the  spontaneous  interest  of  the  child,  challenges  the  pupil  to 
better  study  and  a  more  serious  conception  of  the  work  of  religious 
education. 

In  many  churches  a  thoroughgoing  trial  of  these  lessons  has  proved 
the  correctness  of  the  principles  involved,  with  the  exception  of  those 
stated  under  section  (3).  It  is  becoming  increasingly  apparent  that 
rigid  insistence  upon  grading  by  years  and  the  presentation  of  material 
in  such  close  sequence  of  thought  is  not  necessary  for  the  best  results 
in  moral  and  religious  education.  The  departmental  group  furnishes 
the  most  desirable  point  of  departure  with  individual  and  age  adap- 
tations. 

Upon  what  fundamental  facts  does  grading  rest? 

Consensus  of  thought  is  emphasizing  the  following  considerations : 

(a)  The  moral  and  reHgious  capacity  of  each  individual,  together 
with  his  knowledge  of  Scripture. 

(b)  Physiological  development. 

(c)  Home  and  social  environment. 

(d)  Mental  development. 

(e)  Classification  according  to  individual  variation. 

(f)  Age. 

A  little  reflection  will  reveal  the  fact  that  the  tendency  is  strongly 
in  the  direction  of  putting  emphasis,  first,  upon  the  group  and  upon 
the  individual  within  the  group,  and  secondarily,  upon  the  age  Hmits. 

THE  DEPARTMENTAL  GRADED  LESSONS 
1.  History. — The  Presbyterian  Board  of  PubHcation  and  Sabbath 
School  Work  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  U.  S.  A.,  prepared  and  issued 
in  1915  the  Departmental  Graded  Lessons  for  the  Elementary  Divi- 
sion. They  are  based  on  the  outlines  for  the  International  Graded 
Lessons.  The  distinctive  feature  of  the  series  is  that  but  one  lesson  is 
to  be  used  by  the  classes  in  a  single  department.     At  the  present  writ- 

19 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

ing,  these  lessons  are  being  used  with  satisfaction  in  about  three  thou- 
sand schools.  In  this  movement  the  Presbyterian  Church,  U.  S.  A., 
was  joined  by  other  Presbyterian  bodies. 

The  results  thus  attained,  along  with  the  suggested  changes  in  the 
grading  of  the  Sunday  school  into  groups  of  three  years  each  in  the 
Junior,  Intermediate,  and  Senior  departments,  have  made  it  highly 
desirable  to  rearrange  the  system,  improve  the  manner  of  treatment, 
and  begin  its  extension  into  the  upper  departments.  The  Depart- 
mental Graded  Lessons  as  now  arranged  and  treated  rest  upon  the 
following  facts  and  principles : 

(1)  The  moral  and  reHgious  needs  of  the  group  and  not  the  age 
furnish  the  best  point  of  departure  in  lesson-making.  Moral  and  re- 
ligious instruction  does  not  depend  upon  the  close  sequence  in  the 
presentation  of  material  that  is  required  in  most  secular  education. 

(2)  Physical,  mental,  moral,  and  rehgious  differences  in  children 
come  before  rigid  age  limits  in  determining  classification  within  the 
group.  For  instance,  in  the  Junior  Department  the  classes  should 
not  be  formed  on  rigid  age  Hmits,  but  according  to  the  capacity  and 
development  of  each  individual  in  the  group.  The  average  number  in 
each  class  will  doubtless  fall  within  one  age,  but  not  necessarily  so. 

A  recent  investigation  of  the  eighth  grade  of  one  of  the  most  efficient 
grammar  schools  in  Philadelphia  revealed  the  following  ages :  In  Di- 
vision A  there  were  eight  pupils  of  twelve  years  of  age;  sixteen  of 
thirteen  years;  six  of  fourteen  years;  and  two  of  fifteen  years  of  age. 
In  Division  B  there  were  four  pupils  of  twelve  years  of  age;  fifteen  of 
thirteen  years;  eight  of  fourteen  years;  eight  of  fifteen  years,  and 
three  of  sixteen  years  of  age. 

(3)  A  rearrangement  and  new  treatment  of  the  material  in  the 
teacher's  manual  of  the  Departmental  System  which  makes  adequate 
provision  for  individual  and  age  adaptation  within  the  department. 

(4)  The  action  of  the  Sunday  School  Council  in  proposing  a  new 
system  of  grading  whereby  the  pupils  can  be  gathered  into  groups  of 
three  years  each. 

(5)  The  practical  problem  from  the  standpoint  of  the  average 
church  which  finds  it  exceedingly  difl&cult  to  organize  and  maintain  a 
closely  graded  system. 

(6)  The  Departmental  Graded  Lessons  make  easier  the  combining, 

20 


LESSON-MAKING  AND  GRADING 

on  occasion,  of  several  classes  under  one  teacher;  the  securing  of 
substitute  teachers;  the  work  from  the  desk  by  the  department  super- 
intendent; and  the  conference  of  teachers  in  meetings  for  study. 

(7)  There  has  been  urgent  call  for  but  one  system  of  graded  lessons 
that  will  best  meet  the  educational  ideals  and  at  the  same  time  avoid 
the  confusion  so  often  created  by  too  many  systems  of  lessons.  The 
lessons  of  the  Departmental  System,  based  upon  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious needs  of  the  group  and  so  arranged  as  to  be  capable  of  indi- 
vidual and  age  adaptation,  are  to  be  issued  as  best  meeting  the  new 
situation. 

The  outline  of  the  new  Intermediate  Departmental  Graded  Lessons 
is  as  follows : 

INTERMEDIATE  DEPARTMENT 
Twelve,  Thirteen,  and  Fourteen  Years 

FIRST  UNIT 

I,  II.  The  Gospel  by  Mark  with  Historical  Introduction.    Lessons 

1-26. 

III.  Studies  in  Acts.     Lessons  27-39. 

IV.  The  Bible,  the  Word  of  God.     Lessons  40-52. 

SECOND  UNIT 
I.  Biographical  Studies  in  the  Old  Testament.     Lessons  1-13. 

II.  Things  We  Most  Surely  Believe.     Lessons  14-26. 

Ill,  IV.  Biographical  Studies  in  the  Old  Testament.     Lessons  27-52. 

THIRD  UNIT 
I.  Jesus  the  Leader  of  Men.    Companions  of  Jesus  and  Early  Chris- 
tian Leaders.     Lessons  1-13. 
II.  Lessons  in  the  Gospel  by  Luke.     Lessons  14-26. 

III.  Leadership  for  God.     Bible  Principles  of  Leadership.     Lessons 

27-39. 

IV.  Story  of  the  Reformed  Churches.     The  Story  of  Our  English 

Bible.     Lessons  40-52. 

The  new  lessons  will  be  ready  for  use  October  1,  1917. 

THE  PRINCIPLE  OF  GRADING  AND  REASONS  FOR  PRO- 
POSED CHANGES 

The  primary  principle  of  grading  in  the  Sunday  school  is  clearly 
stated  by  Jesus  in  Mark  4 :  26-29.     It  is  the  principle  of  development 

21 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

by  more  or  less  well-defined  periods  of  growth.  "And  he  said,  So 
is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should  cast  seed  upon  the  earth; 
and  should  sleep  and  rise  night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should  spring 
up  and  grow,  he  knoweth  not  how.  The  earth  beareth  fruit  of  her- 
self; first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  grain  in  the  ear.  But 
when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  straightway  he  putteth  forth  the  sickle,  because 
the  harvest  is  come."  Just  as  in  the  world  of  nature,  so  in  the  life 
of  every  child,  there  are  periods  of  growth  when  certain  aspects  of 
life  unfold.  In  this  process  of  growth  within  the  period  two  aims  are 
at  work :  (1)  to  develop  symmetry  of  Hfe  and  (2)  to  prepare  perfectly 
for  the  larger  development  of  the  next  period.  Every  child  must  live 
completely  each  period  of  his  development  in  order  that  the  whole  of 
life  may  mature  perfectly. 

After  many  years  of  study,  observation,  and  experiment,  Sunday- 
school  workers  estabhshed  the  present  system  of  grading.  It  was  felt 
that  these  periods  are  so  clearly  defined  that  they  should  be  rigidly 
adhered  to.  During  the  past  few  years  many  students  of  the  subject 
have  felt  that  certain  changes  would  prove  beneficial  and  that  greater 
elasticity  should  be  allowed  for  the  wide  variation  in  different  chil- 
dren. As  a  result  these  changes  were  proposed  by  the  Sunday  School 
Council,  and,  after  much  discussion,  were  recommended  for  trial  and 
experiment.  The  two  plans  are  here  stated  side  by  side  for  com- 
parison. 

I.  THE  ELEMENTARY  DIVISION 


Old  Plan 
Birth  to  twelve  years. 


New  Plan 
Birth  to  eleven  or  twelve  years. 


CRADLE  ROLL 

Birth  to  three  years  |  Birth  to  three  years. 

BEGINNERS 

Four  and  five  years.  I  Four  and  five  years. 

PRIMARY 

Six,  seven,  and  eight  years.  |  Six,  seven,  and  eight  years. 

JUNIOR 

Nine  to  twelve  years.  I  Nine,  ten,   eleven,  and  possibly 


twelve  years. 


22 


LESSON-MAKING  AND  GRADING 
II.  THE  SECONDARY  DIVISION 

INTERMEDIATE 

Thirteen  to  sixteen  years.  1  Twelve,    thirteen,    and   fourteen 

I  years. 

SENIOR 

Seventeen  to  twenty  years.  I  Fifteen,   sixteen,  and   seventeen 

I  years. 

YOUNG   PEOPLE 

1  Eighteen  to  twenty-four  years. 

III.  THE  ADULT  DIVISION 
Twenty-one  years  and  up.  Twenty-five  years  and  up. 

It  will  be  seen  that  three  very  decided  changes  have  been  proposed. 
The  transfer  of  the  twelfth  year  from  the  Elementary  to  the  Secondary 
Division,  the  transfer  of  the  years  twenty-one  to  twenty-four  from 
the  Adult  to  the  Secondary  Division,  and  an  entire  rearrangement  of 
the  years  in  the  Secondary  Division, 

It  was  now  felt  that  the  difference  between  the  years  nine  and  twelve 
and  between  thirteen  and  sixteen  were  so  great  that  they  did  not  admit 
of  the  best  treatment  when  taken  together.  Again,  so  many  children 
at  about  twelve  experience  the  beginning  of  fundamental  physiological 
changes  and  really  belong  to  the  group  of  early  adolescence.  The 
three  leading  reasons  urged  against  grouping  the  twelve-year-old  child 
with  those  older  are : 

(1)  The  twelve-year-old  boys  and  girls  would  be  leaders  in  the 
Junior  and  not  in  the  older  group. 

(2)  It  is  a  period  of  reKgious  crisis  and  decision  and  they  ought  not 
to  be  put  into  new  surroundings. 

(3)  The  Intermediate  Department  is  not  so  efficiently  organized  as 
the  Junior. 

The  answers  to  these  arguments  are  as  follows : 

(1)  The  natural  and  normal  tendency  in  children  should  be  and  is 
to  look  forward  and  not  backward. 

(2)  Thirteen  and  fourteen  are  equally  years  of  religious  crisis  and 
decision,  and  the  twelve-year-old  child  will  be  better  cared  for  in  this 
respect  in  the  older  than  in  the  younger  group.     The  moral  and  re- 

23 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

ligious  capacities  of  the  twelve-year-old  child  are  so  much  greater  than 
the  capacities  of  the  child  nine  or  ten  years  old  that  close  confinement 
to  the  Junior  group  may  make  for  retardation. 

(3)  The  third  argument  is  serious  and  can  be  met  only  by  the 
Sunday-school  world's  setting  itself  to  the  development  of  an  Inter- 
mediate group  organization  that  will  soon  be  as  efhcient  as  the  present 
average  Junior  Department.  It  ought  to  be  done  and  it  can  be  done. 
Nothing  will  bring  it  about  more  quickly  than  insistence  upon  this 
change  in  grading.  It  should  be  done  as  much  for  the  sake  of  the 
thirteen-  and  fourteen-year-old  boys  and  girls  as  for  the  twelve-year- 
olds.     The  following  are  interesting  expressions  of  opinion : 

E.  Morris  Fergusson,  D.D.,  General  Secretary,  IMaryland  Sunday 
School  Association,  Baltimore,  IMaryland,  says:  "The  twelfth  year 
is  a  transitional  period,  and  the  variation  of  individuals  is  wide.  A 
strong  argument  could  be  made  on  either  side.  I  think  the  balance 
favors  the  grouping  of  the  age  with  those  older,  provided  as  good  de- 
partment work  is  done  wdth  twelve  to  fourteen  as  with  nine  to  eleven." 

E.  M.  Robinson,  Boy's  Work  Department,  International  Commit- 
tee, Young  ]VIen's  Christian  Association,  says :  "I  find  in  our  Associa- 
tion work  that  boys  of  about  twelve,  thirteen,  and  fourteen,  and  boys 
of  about  fifteen,  sixteen,  and  seventeen  group  naturally  together. 
Some  boys  of  twelve  are,  of  course,  too  young  to  be  classed  with  the 
twelve-to-fourteen-year-old  group,  while  some  are  too  old  to  be  classed 
wath  any  yoimger  group.  No  exact  calendar  grouping  can  ever  be 
positively  satisfactory." 

The  transfer  of  the  years,  twenty  to  twenty-four,  from  the  Adult 
to  the  Secondary  Division,  forming  one  large  group  of  young  people, 
was  recognized  by  all  as  a  wise  change.  The  proposed  subdi\dsion 
of  the  Elementary  section  into  three  groups,  twelve  to  fourteen, 
fifteen  to  seventeen,  and  eighteen  to  twenty-four,  met  with  pretty 
general  favor.  It  is  evident  to  all  that  no  hard  and  fast  fine  can  be 
drawn  between  the  years  seventeen  and  eighteen,  the  real  Une  of 
division  being  graduation  from  the  high  school  and  entrance  upon 
life  work  or  higher  education. 

John  L.  Alexander,  Secondary  Speciahst,  International  Sunday 
School  Association,  says :  "I  am  of  the  firm  opinion  that  the  adolescent 
group  should  be  considered  as  a  whole,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  divided 

24 


LESSON-MAKING  AND  GRADING 

into  three  classes:  (1)  Twelve  to  fourteen  inclusive;  (2)  fifteen  to 
seventeen  inclusive;  (3)  eighteen  to  twenty-four  inclusive.  These 
are  the  divisions  which  are  being  made  or  are  being  advocated  in  our 
secular  education,  and  the  boys  and  girls  of  these  periods  naturally 
associate  themselves  together." 

Devotional  Thought.— Prayer  that  God  may  continue  to  guide  the 
development  of  Sunday-school  work  until  it  becomes  the  perfect 
expression  of  his  wise  will. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 
1.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  Uniform  and  the  Closely 
Graded  Lessons? 

2    Give  the  reasons  for  the  Departmental  Graded  Lessons. 

3.  What  is  your  opinion  regarding  the  proposed  changes  m  grading? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Trumbull.— "Yale  Lectures  on  the  Sunday  School." 
Lawrance.— "The  Sunday  School  Organized  for  Service." 


25 


STUDY  IV 
THE  ELEMENTARY  DIVISION 

The  period  from  birth  to  twelve  years  of  age,  when  the  children  of 
the  Sunday  school  are  in  the  departments  known  as  the  Elementary 
Division,  is  a  period  of  preparation.  The  educational  aim  should  be 
to  create  moral  and  religious  impressions  and  organize  tendencies  to 
behavior. 

THE  CRADLE  ROLL  DEPARTMENT 

Birth  to  Three  Years 

1.  Purpose. — The  chief  aim  of  the  Cradle  Roll  is  to  enroll  the  babies 
and  to  get  into  the  homes  and  assist  the  mothers  in  giving  to  children 
those  early  moral  and  religious  impressions  that  are  vital  to  all  later 
teaching. 

2.  Curriculum. — This  department  should  help  in  establishing  the 
family  altar  and  religious  training  in  every  home.  Lessons  in  prayer, 
worship,  obedience,  cleanliness,  love,  kindness,  and  proper  speech 
should  be  early  taught  by  the  mother.  Sanitary  conditions  and  proper 
food  and  clothing  are  essential. 

3.  Organization.— The  best  woman  available  in  the  congregation 
should  be  superintendent,  and  such  assistants  as  she  may  require 
should  be  chosen  with  regard  to  ability  and  geographical  location  in 
the  parish. 

4.  Duties. — Frequent  calls,  the  enrollment  of  each  child,  sending 
a  birthday  remembrance,  frequent  meetings  for  parents,  and  distribu- 
tion of  hterature. 

THE  BEGINNERS  DEPARTMENT 

Four  and  Five  Years 
1.  Purpose. — The  child  now  gets  its  first  religious  impressions  out- 
side the  home.     Children  come  into  the  Beginners  Department  with 
eager  souls  and  alert  senses,  with  many  first  impressions  gained  in  the 
home,  and  with  instincts,  reflexes,  and  ideas  already  forming  into 

26 


THE  ELEMENTARY  DIVISION 

habits.  The  purpose  is  to  enrich  the  home  training  and  to  enlarge 
upon  the  meaning  of  reverence,  worship,  prayer,  obedience,  love,  and 
kindness,  not  only  through  the  beginnings  of  formal  instruction,  but 
through  the  example,  the  sympathy,  and  the  friendship  of  the  teacher. 
Sense  impression,  self-expression,  rhythmic  movement,  imitation,  won- 
der, fancy,  imagination,  love,  and  simple,  open-hearted  credulity,  are 
child  characteristics  which  the  teacher  should  utilize. 

2.  Curriculum. — The  chief  object  of  all  teaching  is  to  get  the  child 
to  have  a  clear  consciousness  of  the  fact  and  presence  of  God.  It  is 
God  who  made  all  things,  who  cares  for  us,  who  watches  over  us,  and 
who  sees  all  our  actions.  God  is  the  Creator,  the  Caretaker,  the 
loving  Father.  The  reactions  sought  are  worship,  obedience,  and 
helpfulness.  Bible  stories  taken  chiefly  from  the  early  part  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  from  the  Hfe  of  Christ  are  best  suited  for  this  pur- 
pose, but  these  may  be  supplemented  by  nature  stories  and  incidents 
of  home  life.  The  story  method  is  always  best  supplemented  by  the 
careful  use  of  pictures,  handwork,  motion  songs,  and  simple  memory 
work.  The  program  for  each  Sunday  would  include:  (1)  Worship, 
as  praise  and  offering;  (2)  lesson  story  either  to  the  department  as  a 
whole  or  to  small  groups  of  six  or  eight  pupils  each;  (3)  expression, 
as  the  natural  reaction  to  the  lesson  story,  prayer,  memory  verse, 
song,  and  some  act  of  helpfulness  in  the  home  during  the  week. 

3.  Organization. — A  principal  and  two  teachers  will  usually  be 
sufficient.  The  children  should  be  gathered  in  a  circle  for  the  opening 
song,  prayer,  and  lesson  story.  After  this  they  may  be  divided  into 
groups  for  handwork  and  more  formal  instruction.  The  superin- 
tendent should  plan  the  work  in  cooperation  with  the  teachers,  and 
maintain  a  departmental  training  class. 

4.  Place  and  equipment. — The  room  should  be  Ught,  homelike, 
and,  if  possible,  separate  from  the  rest  of  the  school.  Chairs,  tables, 
lesson  materials,  pictures,  a  blackboard,  and  a  sand  box.  should  be 
provided. 

THE  PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT 

Six,  Seven,  and  Eight  Years 
1.  Purpose. — The  child  has  now  become  established  in  the  larger 
life  of  the  public  school  and  mental  growth  becomes  more  rapid.     The 

27 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Primary  Department  should  build  upon  the  preceding  work  and  seek 
(1)  to  develop  impressions  about  God  and  duty  into  clear  mental 
images;  (2)  to  have  the  imagination  deal  with  the  world  of  facts 
rather  than  fancy;  (3)  to  have  truth  and  imagination  control  the  con- 
duct for  definite  moral  and  social  ends. 

2.  Curriculum. — ^The  lesson  material  should  now  be  arranged  in 
themes,  which  should  deal  largely  with  lessons  about  God  and  our 
relation  to  him  through  worship,  obedience,  and  kindness  to  others. 
There  should  be  lessons  about  God's  house,  God's  day,  God's  Book, 
God's  children,  and  the  teaching  of  specific  duties,  as  love,  trust,  obedi- 
ence, honesty,  cleanliness,  kindness,  helpfulness.  These  should  be 
taught  by  related  stories  from  the  Hfe  of  Jesus  and  those  who  helped 
him.  Memory  work  expressing  the  lesson  themes  should  be  con- 
structively taught.  Children  should  retell  the  stories  and  act  out  the 
lessons  as  much  as  possible  in  the  class  as  a  social  group. 

In  the  Departmental  Graded  Lessons  one  group  or  unit  of  these 
themes  will  be  presented  each  year.  A  child  does  not  learn  the  mean- 
ing of  worship,  goodness,  obedience,  and  kindness  in  precisely  the 
same  way  in  which  he  learns  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication, 
and  short  and  long  division.  All  must  be  presented  each  year  as 
parts  of  the  whole  of  Hfe  and  conduct.  As  a  result  of  the  three  years 
of  teaching  the  child  wiU  have  increasingly  clear  conceptions,  a  more 
reverent  and  loving  attitude  toward  God  and  man,  and  more  de- 
finitely established  tendencies  in  behavior.  The  whole  educative 
process  is  the  unfolding  of  Hfe,  through  spiritual  nurture,  into  a 
symmetrical  and  beautiful  Christian  character.  This  same  principle 
is  operative  throughout  the  whole  process  of  Christian  education. 

3.  Organization. — The  officers  should  include  a  superintendent, 
secretary,  pianist,  and  class  teachers,  all  in  close  sympathy  with  the 
aim  of  the  department.  The  work  of  the  year,  as  well  as  each  lesson 
and  program  for  the  day,  should  be  carefully  outlined  in  a  plan  book. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  hold  the  opening  and  closing  exercises  with  other 
departments,  but  it  is  much  better  to  hold  such  exercises  separately. 

4.  Equipment. — A  well-lighted  room,  large  enough  to  screen  off  the 
classes  for  the  lesson  period ;  chairs  from  eleven  to  fourteen  inches  high 
and  tables  from  twenty-two  to  twenty-six  inches  high;  blackboards, 
a  sand  tray,  a  desk  for  the  teacher,  pictures,  printed  hymns,  models 

28 


THE  ELEMENTARY  DIVISION 

illustrating  Bible  lessons,  and  a  cupboard  or  case  of  drawers  for  keeping 
material. 

THE  JUNIOR  DEPARTMENT 
Nine,  Ten,  Eleven,  and  Possibly  Twelve  Years 

1.  Purpose. — A  previous  study  of  the  characteristics  of  this  period 
reveals  that  it  is  a  period  of  organization  rather  than  of  growth,  a 
period  of  habit  formation,  drill,  and  memorizing.  The  moral  sense 
awakens,  and  knowledge  of  law,  authority,  and  obedience  is  essential. 
At  about  ten  or  eleven  years  of  age  still  other  characteristics  appear, 
such  as  idealism  and  hero  worship  and  a  great  desire  to  read.  The 
meaning  of  history  and  geography  appears,  and  thought  widens 
immensely.  There  is  a  desire  to  reason  and  think  for  oneself,  sup- 
plemented by  an  awakened  religious  impulse  and  a  tendency  toward 
early  conversion.  The  purpose  of  this  department  should  be  to  meet 
these  needs  by  the  proper  curriculum  and  organization. 

2.  Curriculum. — (1)  Moral  instruction  by  commandment,  pre- 
cept, and  biography,  along  with  such  expressional  activity  as  will  de- 
velop right  habits  of  conduct. 

(2)  Systematic  teaching  of  the  books  of  the  Bible,  their  meaning 
and  general  content,  also  the  memorizing  of  hymns  and  passages  of 
Scripture. 

(3)  Emphasizing  of  reverence  for  law,  for  God's  name  and  God's 
house,  along  with  the  habit  of  church  attendance  and  training  as  to 
worship  and  the  meaning  of  the  sacraments. 

(4)  Presentation  of  sections  of  the  Bible  in  their  historic  outHne, 
as  the  lives  of  the  patriarchs  and  the  kings,  and  the  life  of  Christ. 

3.  Organization. — As  far  as  possible  the  Junior  Department  should 
have  its  separate  organization  and  place  of  meeting.  The  principal 
or  superintendent  should  be  chosen  on  account  of  special  quahfica- 
tion  to  work  with  Juniors.  A  strong,  forceful  but  sympathetic  per- 
sonality is  necessary,  a  good  disciplinarian  with  constructive  organiz- 
ing ability,  a  real  educator.  This  is  the  period  when  the  developing 
processes  of  the  past  years  are  rounded  out  and  made  ready  for  a 
wholly  new  enlargement  and  enrichment  of  life.  Individual  varia- 
tion becomes  more  marked  and  more  careful  study  of  each  child  should 
be  made. 

29 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

4.  Equipment. — Every  class  should  have  a  table  and  a  good  supply 
of  Bibles.  The  department  should  be  supplied  with  a  set  of  maps  and 
several  blackboards.  The  wall  that  is  adorned  with  a  few  fine  pic- 
tures will  make  its  spiritual  appeal.  Wall  charts  showing  hymns,  the 
Commandments,  and  books  of  the  Bible,  are  a  great  aid  in  teaching 
at  this  time. 

5.  Activities. — The  expressional  side  of  character-building  includes : 
(1)  worship,  (2)  service,  (3)  social  and  recreational  activities  both  in 
the  home  and  under  the  direction  of  the  department. 

(1)  Worship.  The  worshipful  side  of  the  school  session  should 
approach  the  lofty  dignity  of  the  best  church  worship  and  yet  be 
adapted  to  the  expressional  needs  of  Juniors.  The  habit  of  attendance 
upon  public  worship  should  be  encouraged  and  recognition  of  it  should 
be  made  in  the  standards  of  the  department. 

(2)  Service.  This  should  include  benevolence,  missionary  work, 
giving  and  assuming  helpful  tasks  in  the  classroom,  the  home,  and  the 
community.  The  Sunday  school  should  clearly  recognize,  as  a  part 
of  the  building  of  Christian  character,  all  of  the  common  home  duties 
which  may  be  assigned  to  children.  If  the  Junior  and  Intermediate 
departments  would  make  up  a  list  of  duties  performed  in  the  home  for 
which  boys  and  girls  would  receive  credit  toward  promotion,  it  would 
greatly  vitalize  all  Bible  instruction,  bring  the  home  and  the  school 
into  closer  relations,  and  actually  do  the  work  of  building  Christian 
character  in  terms  of  conduct.  "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 
Such  a  list  could  be  checked  by  the  parents  and  returned  every  three 
months  for  credit.  It  would  include  such  duties  as  helping  mother, 
running  errands,  making  beds,  caring  for  the  baby,  and  being  obedient 
to  parents, 

(3)  The  social  and  recreational  activities,  so  far  as  they  are  in  con- 
nection with  the  church,  should  have  the  thoughtful  supervision  of  the 
teacher  and  should  be  indirectly  educative  in  aim. 

All  the  work  attempted  by  the  numerous  societies,  guilds,  leagues, 
and  bands  can  best  be  performed  by  the  class  groups  and  the  depart- 
ment. Where  these  separate  organizations  do  exist,  they  should  be 
under  the  officers  and  supervision  of  the  Junior  Department  of  the 
church. 

30 


THE  ELEMENTARY  DIVISION 

Devotional    Thought. — Prayer    for    the    Elementary    officers    and 
teachers  of  all  Sunday  schools. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  the  real  task  of  the  Cradle  Roll  Department? 

2.  What  are  the  main  themes  in  the  Primary  curriculum  and  how 
does  the  Departmental  System  present  them? 

3.  What  would  you  teach  Juniors  and  why? 

4.  How  would  you  develop  the  expressional  side  of  education  in  the 
Junior  Department? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Faris.— ''The  Sunday  School  at  Work."     Ch.  VI. 

FoRBUSH. — "Child  Study  and  Child  Training." 

SuDLOW. — "The  Cradle  Roll  Department." 

Baldwin. — ''The  Juniors:  How  to  Teach  and  Train  Them." 

Harrison. — "A  Study  of  Child  Nature." 

Ferris. — "The  Sunday  Kindergarten." 

Wardle. — "Handwork  in  Religious  Education." 

Danielson. — "Lessons  for  Teachers  of  Beginners." 

Thomas. — "Primary  Lesson  Detail." 

"First  Things";  graded  memory  work  for  the  Elementary  Division. 


31 


STUDY  V 
THE  SECONDARY  DIVISION 

According  to  the  present  grouping  the  Secondary  Division  includes 
boys  and  girls  from  thirteen  to  twenty  years  of  age  and  is  divided  into 
two  groups:  Intermediate,  thirteen  to  sixteen  years,  and  Senior, 
seventeen  to  twenty  years.  The  new  method  suggested  recently  by 
the  Sunday  School  Council  recognizes  three  groups  as  follows :  Inter- 
mediate, twelve  to  fourteen  years;  Senior,  fifteen  to  seventeen  years; 
Young  People,  eighteen  to  twenty-four  years.  It  may  be  some  years 
before  the  new  system  will  come  into  universal  acceptance,  yet,  be- 
cause of  its  obvious  advantage,  we  urge  schools  to  try  to  make  the  ad- 
justment. 

THE  INTERMEDIATE  DEPARTMENT 

There  will  always  be  a  few  twelve-year-old  boys  and  girls  who  will 
remain  with  the  Junior  group  and  a  few  of  fifteen  years  who  will  do 
better  work  by  remaining  with  the  Intermediate  group.  The  Inter- 
mediate age,  however,  is  from  twelve  to  fourteen  years. 

1.  Purpose. — The  birth  of  physical  functions  requires  a  positive 
and  wholesome  spiritual  interpretation  of  Hfe  and  sexual  relationships. 
The  enlargement  of  the  moral  nature  requires  that  moral  law  be  taught 
not  only  as  Commandments  wTitten  on  tables  of  stone,  but  as  inward, 
living  principles.  Jer.  31:31-34;  Matt.,  ch.  5;  Gal.,  ch.  5;  Rom. 
13 :  7-10.  Provision  should  be  made  for  the  spiritual  enrichment  of 
the  emotional,  intellectual,  and  aesthetic  Hfe  of  this  period.  The 
social  impulse  must  be  satisfied  through  the  comradeship  of  family 
life,  wholesome  social  groups,  and  church  fellowship.  Rehgion  has 
now  become  subjective,  an  inner  experience  seeking  expression.  The 
teacher  should  guide  this  impulse  into  a  public  confession  of  Christ. 

2.  Curriculum. — The  materials  of  the  curriculum  will  consist  quite 
as  much  in  what  we  do  not  teach  as  in  what  we  do  teach.  "It  is  not 
good  pedagogy,"  says  another,  "to  discover  to  a  child  his  potentiaH- 
ties  for  vice  by  pointing  it  out  in  others.     To  think  a  thing  is  to  do  it 

32 


THE  SECONDARY  DIVISION 

unless  there  are  unusual  inhibiting  influences.  For  this  reason  every 
effort  should  be  made  to  shield  the  Intermediate  child  from  all  evil, 
and  especially  from  evil  companions,  evil  pictures,  and  evil  books." 
This  appHes  particularly  to  evil  suggestion  lurking  in  what  to  the  adult 
mind  seems  harmless. 

Bible  history,  an  intimate  knowledge  of  great  Bible  characters, 
especially  of  the  hfe  of  Christ,  a  constructive  study  of  at  least  two 
books  of  the  Bible,  and  development  of  the  abstract  virtues,  such  as 
duty,  honor,  loyalty,  and  love,  should  form  the  basis  of  instruction 
during  this  period.  Simple,  concrete  teaching  regarding  the  doctrines, 
history,  and  polity  of  the  Church,  the  origin  and  structure  of  the 
English  Bible,  a  study  of  missionary  heroes,  and  a  religious  interpre- 
tation of  American  history — these  and  perhaps  other  courses  should 
form  a  part  of  the  materials  of  the  curriculum.  Study  carefully  the 
outhne  of  the  new  Intermediate  Departmental  Lessons  given  in  Study 
III  and  see  how  fully  these  lessons  meet  the  requirements.  They  are 
based  on  the  International  Graded  Outlines,  which  have  been  some- 
what modified  and  improved. 

3.  Expressional  activities. — (1)  Worship.  Most  Sunday  schools 
submerge  the  Intermediate  group  in  the  Senior  and  Adult  groups, 
ignoring  utterly  their  special  needs.  Intermediates  should  have  a 
large  part  in  the  worship,  both  of  the  Sunday  school  and  of  the  church 
service.  Their  deeper  needs,  aspirations,  and  soul  hungers  should 
find  expression  in  song,  Scripture-reading,  and  sermon.  Habits  of 
church  attendance  should  be  firmly  established  by  the  growing  con- 
sciousness that  they  are  a  vital  part  of  the  whole. 

(2)  Service.  Both  the  class  group  and  the  department  should  have 
a  carefully  organized,  systematic,  and  correlated  plan  of  social  ser- 
vice, missionary  activities,  and  giving. 

(3)  Social  and  recreational  activities.  Intermediate  boys  and  girls 
are  constantly  enlarging  their  social  activities  and  circles  of  friends. 
These  interests  ought  to  be  centered  in  the  home  life  and  under  care- 
ful guidance.  The  athletic  and  social  interests  should  become  ex- 
pressions of  the  truth  taught  in  the  classroom. 

(4)  Class  organization.  All  classes  may  now  be  organized  and 
given  large  responsibilities  under  supervised  leadership.  The  ex- 
pressional activities  may  be  carried  on  largely  through  the  class  and 

33 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

departmental  group  in  close  cooperation  with  one  or  two  compre- 
hensive organizations  such  as  the  Intermediate  Christian  Endeavor 
Society. 

4.  Organization  and  equipment. — Intermediates  should  have  their 
own  definite  organization  under  a  superintendent  who  has  educational 
qualifications.  For  boys  above  the  Junior  Department,  it  is  wise  to 
have  men  teachers  who  understand  boy  Hfe,  although  a  strong,  force- 
ful woman  may  often  prove  successful  with  boys.  The  teachers 
should  meet  frequently  for  a  study  of  Intermediate  problems.  Sepa- 
rate classrooms,  a  supply  of  Bibles,  maps,  blackboards,  and  tables,  are 
necessary  to  the  best  work. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  Intermediates  should  assemble  for  open- 
ing worship  in  a  room  separate  from  the  Seniors.  In  fact,  if  the  ser- 
vice is  properly  adapted  and  developed,  it  is  a  good  thing  to  have  the 
Secondary  Division  assemble  in  a  body  for  the  opening  exercises. 

Separate  organization  for  boys  and  girls  in  the  Secondary  Division 
has  been  strongly  advocated.  This  has  been  tried  with  some  degree 
of  success,  but  it  has  disadvantages.  It  doubles  the  organization 
and  number  of  officers  required  and  breaks  the  close  association  of  the 
sexes  which  is  the  natural  relationship  of  the  home  and  society, 
A  good  idea  is  to  arrange  the  classes  so  that  all  boys  and  young  men 
will  be  on  one  side  of  the  room  and  all  girls  and  young  women  on  the 
other.  Organized  classes  and  separate  organizations,  such  as  Boy 
Scouts,  Camp  Fire  Girls,  and  the  Intermediate  Christian  Endeavor, 
are  advisable. 

THE  SENIOR  DEPARTIMENT 

According  to  the  present  method  of  grading,  all  pupils  from  seven- 
teen to  twenty  years  of  age  may  be  treated  as  Seniors,  but  a  clear 
recognition  of  the  three-year  group  from  fifteen  to  seventeen  is  highly 
desirable.  This  is  the  high-school  age.  All  young  people  eighteen 
years  of  age,  who  have  not  yet  graduated  from  high  school,  would 
naturally  belong  to  the  Senior  group. 

1.  Purpose. — The  pupils  in  the  Senior  group  stand  upon  the  thresh- 
old of  the  great 'palace  of  life.  When  they  pass  into  the  Young 
People's  group,  they  will  enter  into  and  possess  the  whole  house,  room 
after  room,  until  they  are  thoroughly  adjusted  and  at  home.     In  the 

34 


THE  SECONDARY  DIVISION 

Senior  group  the  teachers  should  help  their  pupils  to  build  their  lives 
around  the  new  center  of  thought  and  action  created  by  the  public 
confession  of  Christ. 

2.  Curriculum. — There  should  be  a  presentation  of  Bible  history  in 
relation  to  Church  history  and  the  history  of  the  American  people. 
Such  a  course  should  be  closely  correlated  with  high-school  and  col- 
lege work,  with  possible  interchange  of  credit.  This  should  also  be  a 
preparatory  course  for  teacher-training.  In  addition  to  this  course 
there  should  be  a  series  of  lessons  explaining  the  meaning  of  the  Chris- 
tian life. 

THE  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  DEPARTMENT 

1.  Purpose. — Between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  twenty-four  young 
people  must  be  led  to  adjust  themselves  permanently  to  the  social 
structure.  The  living  of  the  Christian  life  in  relation  to  the  home,  the 
state,  and  the  community,  should  be  emphasized.  Life  must  be 
charged  with  high  and  holy  purpose. 

2.  Curriculum. — The  central  truths  of  Christianity  should  be 
taught  in  relation  to  their  doctrinal  bearing  and  practical  application. 
Church  polity  as  set  forth  in  the  New  Testament  would  prove 
profitable.  There  should  be  carefully  selected  courses  on  missions, 
social  service,  and  the  social  teachings  of  Jesus.  During  this  period 
young  people  should  take  up  the  courses  in  teacher-training. 

3.  Organization  and  activities. — We  have  considered  separately 
the  purpose  and  curriculum  of  the  Senior  and  Young  People's  depart- 
ments. The  organization  and  activities  of  the  two  groups  present 
practically  the  same  problem. 

(a)  General  organization.  In  regard  to  general  organization  two 
plans  are  proposed.  The  first  requires  a  principal  for  each  depart- 
ment, who  would  study  the  educational  needs  of  the  group  and  lead 
and  help  to  organize  its  activities.  Such  a  leader  might  well  have  as  a 
cabinet  the  teachers  and  the  presidents  of  the  different  classes,  placing 
the  responsibility  of  initiative  and  leadership  largely  upon  the  young 
people.  The  second  plan  is  to  have  one  principal  and  cabinet  to  look 
after  both  departments.  This  plan  has  many  advantages,  especially 
for  the  small  school. 

(b)  Class  organization.     The  organized  Bible  class  is  an  important 

35 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

institution  in  the  life  of  the  Church.  It  develops  personal  responsi- 
bility, makes  possible  organized  activities,  trains  young  people  for 
Church  leadership,  and  affords  opportunity  for  the  expression  of  the 
devotional  life.  The  president  of  the  class  may  lead  a  discussion  of 
the  lesson  when  the  teacher  is  unexpectedly  absent.  Worship,  lesson 
discussion,  devotional  expression,  social  and  recreational  events,  mis- 
sionary, community,  and  church  service,  constitute  most  of  the  ac- 
tivities of  the  class. 

The  Relation  of  the  Sujtoay  School  to  the  Young  People's 

Societies 

The  fundamental  aim  of  the  Church  is  to  make  Christians.  Each 
organization  of  the  Church  which  enHsts  young  people  must  make  a 
conspicuous  contribution  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  aim.  .  At  the 
same  time,  no  two  organizations  may  rightly  assume  the  same  task 
as  their  main  purpose. 

The  Sunday  school  has  assumed  as  its  main  purpose  the  study  of  the 
Bible  as  an  essential  in  making  and  developing  young  Christians. 
In  all  class  interests  this  purpose  must  hold  first  place.  Nevertheless, 
the  Sunday  school  includes  in  its  program  worship,  some  devotional 
expression,  training,  and  service.  Adequate  development,  however, 
is  impossible  in  the  Sunday-school  class  under  present  time  limits. 
Whatever  is  done  should  be  frankly  acknowledged  as  partial. 

The  Young  People's  Society  has  assumed  as  its  main  purpose  train- 
ing for  Christian  service  as  an  essential  in  making  and  developing 
Christians.  This  includes  worship,  training  in  devotional  expression, 
executive  leadership,  and  practical  Christian  service.  It  may  also 
include  educational  classes,  which  supplement  the  Sunday-school 
work. 

It  is  plain  that  every  young  person  needs,  for  well-rounded  Chris- 
tianity, the  aims  that  lie  at  the  heart  of  these  two  organizations.  The 
average  Young  People's  Society,  however,  has  in  its  membership  less 
than  half  of  the  young  people  who  are  in  the  Sunday  school.  The 
question,  therefore,  arises  as  to  whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  plan 
the  program  and  work  of  the  Sunday-school  class  so  as  to  provide  the 
needed  devotional  training  and  service.  Some  would  say,  "Yes." 
Others  would  say,  "Under  present  limitations,  it  cannot  be  done." 

36 


THE  SECONDARY  DIVISION 

Frankly,  the  Church  is  trying  some  rather  radical  experiments.  We 
must  await  results. 

Many  believe  that  radical  changes  in  our  well-estabHshed  organiza- 
tions are  not  needed,  but  that  a  plan  providing  for  the  closest  possible 
cooperation  between  Senior  and  Young  People's  departments  and  the 
Young  People's  Society  would  produce  the  best  results  at  this  time. 
This  cooperation  may  best  be  secured  by  creating  a  committee  or 
cabinet  which  includes  the  officers,  teachers,  and  class  presidents  of  the 
Senior  and  Young  People's  departments  of  the  Sunday  school,  and  the 
officers  and  committee  chairmen  of  the  Young  People's  Society, 
whether  with  the  pastor  or  a  representative  of  the  session. 

Through  this  cabinet,  the  work  for  young  people  may  be  so  cor- 
related that  the  largest  number  will  receive  the  maximum  amount  of 
Christian  education  and  training  with  the  least  possible  overlapping. 
In  the  development  of  committees  there  should  be  close  cooperation; 
for  example,  the  Membership  committees  of  the  classes  should  work 
with  the  Lookout  Committee  of  the  Young  People's  Society.  The 
development  of  the  young  people  in  Christian  expression  and  service 
in  the  large  group,  which  attempts  large  things,  is  more  inspiring  and 
far-reaching,  more  broadening  and  enriching,  and  more  nearly  normal 
to  their  Hves  than  is  work  attempted  simply  by  classes. 

If  conspicuous  changes  in  the  plan  of  organization  are  essential, 
they  will  be  revealed  as  a  result  of  the  work  of  the  cabinet  and  may  be 
made  gradually,  without  the  radical  innovation  which  is  so  disturbing 
to  the  organizations  already  well  established. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  thousands  of  young  people  in 
our  Sunday  schools  and  for  those  who  seek  to  lead  them. 


TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  Which  do  you  prefer,  the  present  or  the  new  way  of  grouping? 
Give  your  reasons. 

2.  What  is  your  opinion  regarding  the  separation  of  the  Secondary 
Division  into  a  boys'  group  and  a  girls'  group? 

3.  Give  your  own  views  upon  the  relation  of  Sunday-school  de- 
partmental organization  to  the  Young  People's  Society. 


37 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Faris .— "The  Sunday  School  at  Work."     Chs.  VII,  IX. 
Foster. — "The Intermediate  Department." 

Foster. — "The  Problems  of  the  Teacher  of  Intermediate  and  Senior 
Boys  and  Girls." 

Darnell. — "The  Senior  Department." 
Alexander. — "The  Secondary  Division." 


38 


STUDY  VI 
THE  ADULT  DIVISION 

The  growth  of  the  Adult  Division  of  the  Sunday  school  has  been 
rapid  and  significant.  It  may  now  be  said  that  provision  has  been 
made  whereby  the  whole  Church  engages  in  Bible  study.  This  de- 
partment includes: 

Bible  classes  for  young  men  and  young  women;  Bible  classes  for 
men;  the  Brotherhood  Bible  class;  Bible  classes  for  women;  in- 
quirers' Bible  class  for  new  converts;  a  class  for  parents;  group  classes 
for  the  careful  study  of  special  subjects;  Home  Department;  neigh- 
borhood Bible  classes.  Affiliated  organizations  engaged  in  the  re- 
ligious education  of  adults  are:  The  midweek  prayer  service;  the 
women's  missionary  society;  the  ladies'  aid  society;  the  men's  club. 

General  Organization. — x\ll  of  the  above-named  organizations 
should  be  grouped  in  one  division  or  department  with  a  superintendent 
and  associate  superintendent.  The  classes  may  meet  in  the  church 
auditorium,  or  with  the  Intermediates  and  Seniors,  or  they  may  each 
have  separate  classrooms  for  their  own  exercises.  No  class  can  do  its 
best  work  when  it  becomes  completely  detached  from  the  organized 
life  of  the  school,  but  separate  classrooms  for  the  recitation  are  neces- 
sary to  the  best  work.  When  a  men's  Bible  class  does  meet  in  a 
separate  room  it  is  very  important  to  join  in  the  general  assembly  of 
the  school  about  once  in  every  six  weeks.  Their  presence  will  be  an 
inspiration  to  the  superintendent,  and  above  all,  an  example  to  the 
boys. 

THE  ORGANIZED  BIBLE  CLASS 
Each  class  may  have  its  own  complete  organization,  with  well- 
defined  committees,  such  as  Membership,  PubHcity,  Social,  Welfare, 
Devotional,  and  Social  Service  committees.  A  good  teacher  and  a 
wide-awake  president  are  essential  to  any  successful  Bible  class. 
Publicity,  the  personal  touch,  and  the  evangeUstic  spirit,  are  strong 
elements  of  success.   The  class  should  be  registered  at  the  denomina- 

39 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

tion  and  state  headquarters.  One  of  the  greatest  dangers  of  this  in- 
dependent movement  is  detachment  from  the  Church  and  the  Sunday 
school.  The  class  should  contribute  directly  to  the  running  expense 
of  the  school  in  addition  to  providing  for  their  own  work.  They  should 
also  give  largely  to  benevolences. 

The  president  of  the  organized  class  is  the  key  to  its  success.  A 
good  teacher  is  absolutely  essential,  but  there  is  something  in  the 
genius  of  the  movement  that  calls  for  vigorous,  tactful,  leadership. 
The  president  should  not  only  have  executive  abihty;  he  must  be  re- 
sourceful, as  well,  and  above  all,  genial,  sympathetic,  and  of  a  strong, 
positive  Christian  faith.  The  Membership  Committee  has  two  tasks  : 
getting  new  members  and  stimulating  attendance.  Every  person  in 
the  community  available  for  membership  should  be  carefully  hsted 
and  approached.  Membership  contests  are  valuable  when  properly 
organized  and  followed  up.  Every  absentee  should  receive  'a  card, 
a  telephone  message,  or  a  personal  call  before  Wednesday.  Then,  in 
case  of  sickness  or  trouble,  the  Welfare  Committee  can  call,  send 
flowers,  or  assist  in  any  desirable  manner.  The  Welfare  Committee 
should  report  to  the  class  each  Sunday. 

Pubhcity  of  the  right  kind  is  essential  and  there  cannot  be  too  much 
of  it.  Publicity  is  one  of  the  modern  ways  by  which  the  Church  goes 
out  into  the  "highways  and  hedges  "  and  compels  the  people  to  come  in. 

The  Devotional  Comm.ittee  has,  above  all  else,  the  task  of  keeping 
the  evangehstic  spirit  and  aim  of  the  class  uppermost.  Special  prayer 
groups  can  be  arranged.  If  the  class  meets  separately,  the  devotional 
program  will  be  provided  by  this  committee.  They  wdll  also  cooperate 
with  the  pastor  in  promoting  the  evening  service  or  the  midweek 
meeting.  The  devotional  Kfe  of  men  and  women  should  be  enriched 
through  regular  attendance  upon  the  church  worship.  The  Bible 
class  that  becomes  a  substitute  for  church  worship  and  participation 
in  the  sacraments  is  faiHng  in  its  truest  mission.  At  the  same  time 
each  session  of  the  class  should  be  deeply  devotional  in  order  that  the 
teaching  may  be  effective.  Although  Bible  study  is  the  chief  purpose 
of  the  class,  success  requires  some  definite  goal  of  service  expressed 
as  far  as  possible  through  existing  church  organizations,  seeking  its 
own  method  of  expression  only  when  these  are  lacking  or  are  mori- 
bund. All  adult  classes  should  feel  a  deep  responsibility  for  the  educa- 

40 


THE  ADULT  DIVISION 

tion  of  the  children  of  the  church  and  should  cooperate  earnestly  with 
the  pastor  and  Sunday-school  superintendent.  To  fail  to  do  this  is 
to  neglect  a  natural  duty. 

1.  Purpose  and  Curriculum. — The  adult  Bible  class  movement 
has  at  least  four  aims  which  constitute  its  purpose:  (1)  The  effort 
to  keep  the  boys  and  girls  from  dropping  out  of  Sunday  school  by 
surrounding  them  with  a  wall  of  fathers  and  mothers;  (2)  the  hunger 
of  a  materiahstic  world  for  spiritual  food;  man  cannot  live  by  bread 
alone;  (3)  an  awakened  desire  to  know  the  fundamental  facts  and 
doctrines  of  the  Christian  rehgion  in  relation  to  salvation,  suffering, 
modern  science,  daily  living,  and  the  changing  social,  economic,  and 
political  conditions  of  to-day;  (4)  the  desire  to  become  intelligently 
informed  regarding  the  progress  of  Christ's  Kingdom  throughout  the 
world. 

To  meet  the  religious  needs  for  men  and  women  for  serious  Bible 
study,  most  denominations  issue  an  adult  Bible  class  monthly  which, 
in  addition  to  the  Bible  lesson,  contains  many  comments  and  inter- 
pretations adapted  to  the  adult  mind.  Each  issue  also  contains  many 
valuable  suggestions  for  the  work  of  the  class. 

SPECIAL  STUDY  GROUPS 
The  organized  Bible  class  is  designed  for  busy  men  and  women  who 
wish  a  popular  exposition  and  discussion  of  the  Bible.  In  addition 
there  should  be  provision  for  small  groups  of  men  and  women  who  wish 
to  make  a  careful  study  of  some  particular  subject,  such  as  book 
studies.  Church  doctrine  and  polity,  the  social  teachings  of  Jesus, 
and  Church  missions.  The  key  to  such  a  group  is  a  teacher  who 
knows  the  subject  and  can  make  truth  vital.  Mission  study  classes 
are  increasing  rapidly  throughout  the  Church.  Such  classes  usually 
meet  during  the  week. 

PARENTS'  CLASSES 

The  importance  of  instructing  young  parents  in  the  rehgious  nurture 
of  children  is  now  acknowledged.  A  class  should  be  arranged  for 
mothers  who  bring  their  children  to  Beginners  or  Primary  classes. 
After  the  opening  exercises  of  the  children  the  mothers  may  be  gathered 
into  a  class  under  a  competent  teacher  for  thirty  minutes  of  study. 
The  following  books  may  be  used  as  the  basis  of  study :  "A  Study  of 

41 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Child  Nature,"  by  Elizabeth  Harrison;  "Beckonings  from  Little 
Hands,"  by  Patterson  DuBois.  There  are  also  many  books  dealing 
with  the  problems  of  older  children.  Any  of  these  courses  might  be 
introduced  for  a  short  period  into  the  regular  Bible  classes.  Week- 
day gatherings  of  parents  for  a  special  study  of  the  home  have  proved 
very  profitable. 

THE  HOME  DEPARTMENT 
In  all  thoroughly  organized  schools  there  is  a  Home  Department  of 
the  Adult  Division,  its  members  being  afiiliated  members  of  the  dif- 
ferent adult  classes.  The  Home  Department  is  thus  a  great  feeder 
for  the  main  school  and  also  a  point  of  contact  between  the  Church 
and  the  home. 

1.  Organization. — There  should  be  a  superintendent,  secretary,  and 
treasurer,  and  a  carefully  selected  corps  of  visitors  who  will  visit  the 
homes  at  least  once  a  quarter  to  distribute  hterature  and  be  of  spiritual 
service. 

2.  Function.— To  minister  to  all  people  who  for  any  reason  do  not 
attend  the  regular  sessions  of  the  Sunday  school.  Such  people  are 
mothers,  nurses,  men  and  women  regularly  employed  on  Sunday,  the 
sick,  the  aged,  and  the  crippled.  The  Home  Department  can  do  a 
great  deal  toward  promoting  family  worship  and  religious  training  in 
the  home.  The  Home  Department  Quarterly,  published  by  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  U.  S.  A.,  devotes  many  pages  to  the  subject  of  rehgion 
in  the  home. 

Members  of  the  Home  Department  study  the  Bible  lesson  each  week 
and  make  a  report  to  the  Home  Department  visitor  who  is  expected 
to  call  every  three  months. 

THE  EXTENSION  DEPARTMENT 
There  is  a  vast,  undeveloped  field  for  a  Sunday  school  in  conducting 
successful  week-day  Bible  classes  in  the  neighborhood.  Rev.  Stanley 
B.  Roberts,  of  MinneapoHs,  has  several  such  classes  in  connection 
with  the  Sunday  school.  The  Bible  Teachers'  Training  School  of 
New  York  City  has  for  several  years  carried  on  a  large  number  of 
home  Bible  classes  in  the  congested  centers  of  population.  The  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Seattle  is  now  organizing  home  Bible  Classes 
in  each  parish  district.     These  classes  are  all  held  on  week  nights. 

42 


THE  ADULT  DIVISION 

Many  churches  have  well-organized  mission  or  extension  schools 
closely  affiliated  with  the  parent  church.  A  notable  instance  of  this 
kind  of  extension  is  being  carried  on  by  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Wausau,  Wisconsin.  This  enterprising  church  conducts  seven 
such  schools,  all  organized  and  under  the  supervision  of  a  central 
council  of  religious  education  and  one  educational  head.  The  exten- 
sion department  should  be  in  charge  of  a  special  committee  of  which 
the  superintendent  is  chairman.  The  pastor  should  also  be  a  member. 
There  is  no  reason  why  such  a  department  might  not  have  a  separate 
organization  of  its  own. 

THE  MIDWEEK  SERVICE 

The  time  is  probably  not  far  distant  when  the  pastors  and  officers 
of  the  Church  will  recognize  the  large  educational  value  of  the  mid- 
week service.  In  addition  to  plenty  of  time  for  the  expression  of  the 
devotional  life  there  could  be  a  course  of  talks  on  prayer,  doctrine, 
or  Christian  ethics,  followed  by  brief  discussions.  These  courses 
would  be  closely  correlated  with  the  Bible-school  lessons.  In  many 
churches  an  additional  hour  is  used  for  teacher-training  courses  and 
mission  study. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  homes  of  our  land  and  for 
the  host  of  men  and  women  who  are  seeking  to  take  the  Bible  into  the 
homes. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  the  scope  of  the  Adult  Division? 

2.  WTiat  should  be  the  relation  of  the  adult  Bible  class  to  the 
church? 

3.  Define  the  function  of  the  Home  Department. 

4.  Outhne  a  program  that  would  make  the  midweek  meeting  an 
educational  force  in  the  life  of  the  church. 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Paris.— "The  Sunday  School  at  Work."     Chs.  VIII,  X,  XI. 
Hodges. — "The  Training  of  Children  in  Religion." 
Pearce.— "The  Adult  Bible  Class." 
Faris.— "Adult  Class  Plans  and  How  to  Work  Them." 
Blick.— "The  Adult  Department." 
Stebbins. — "The  Home  Department  of  To-day." 
Forbush.— "Child  Study  and  Child  Training." 

43 


STUDY  VII 

THE  SMALL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL:  ITS  POSSIBILITIES  AND 
PROBLEMS 

Inasmuch  as  at  least  one  half  of  all  the  Sunday  schools  in  America 
have  less  than  seventy -five  members,  it  seems  wise  to  devote  a  chapter 
to  their  special  consideration.  This  discussion  should  be  of  value  both 
to  those  interested  in  the  small  independent  school  and  also  to  the 
large  schools  which  should  be  conducting  home  classes  and  small 
mission  schools. 

SOME  GENERAL  PRINCIPLES 

Some  one  has  said  that  Mark  Hopkins  on  one  end  of  a  log  and  a 
student  on  the  other  constitute  a  university.  When  we  think  of 
Jesus  teaching  Nicodemus,  or  the  Samaritan  woman  at  the  well, 
or  Mary  and  Martha  in  their  home,  when  we  think  of  his  choosing 
twelve  humble  men,  self-seeking,  mistrustful,  and  dull  of  spiritual 
apprehension,  and  teaching  them  day  by  day  for  nearly  three  years, 
we  begin  to  realize  the  priceless  value  that  God  puts  upon  the  small 
Sunday  school,  even  though  there  be  but  one  teacher  and  one  pupil. 

Many  of  our  finest  preparatory  schools  are  now  advertising  that 
they  have  one  teacher  to  every  six  pupils.  They  realize  that  the  best 
work  can  be  done  in  small  groups.  Perhaps  some  day  we  shall  get 
over  our  passion  for  bigness,  and  learn  how  to  create  enthusiasm 
through  the  power  of  the  personal  contact  of  a  teacher  and  a  few 
pupils.  There  is  on  record  the  history  of  a  small  rural  school  which 
during  twenty-five  years  of  history  gave  two  members  to  the  home 
ministry  and  three  to  the  foreign  field.  One  member  became  a  uni- 
versity president,  three  are  now  college  professors,  one  is  a  judge,  and 
the  whole  community  is  blessed  with  godly  mothers  and  spiritually 
minded  farmers  and  merchants.  At  no  one  time  did  the  school  have 
more  than  four  teachers,  one  of  whom  was  the  superintendent;  but 
these  must  have  been  real  teachers  who  taught  out  of  a  deep  experience 
with  God's  Word. 

44 


THE  SMALL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL:   POSSIBILITIES  AND  PROBLEMS 

The  writer  once  knew  a  man  who  could  scarcely  read  and  write, 
who  conducted  a  Sunday  school  of  thirty-five  members  which  trans- 
formed a  whole  community.  This  man  walked  forty  miles  across  the 
mountains  that  he  might  attend  a  summer  conference  on  Sunday- 
school  methods. 

Another  superintendent  and  his  wife  sold  their  cow  in  order  that 
they  might  attend  this  same  conference.  A  wealthy  city  superin- 
tendent, on  learning  of  this  act  of  humble  sacrifice,  drew  from  his 
pocket  twenty- five  dollars,  saying,  "Tell  that  man  to  buy  another 
cow."  If  all  superintendents  had  such  a  spirit  of  sacrifice  the  Sunday 
school  would  go  forward  by  leaps  and  bounds. 

Remember  that  he  who  teaches  one  child  well  about  God  builds  for 
eternity;  that  the  best  teaching  is  done  in  small  groups;  that  the  pas- 
sion to  serve  God  will  surmount  many  difficulties. 

1.  Organization. — The  weakness  of  small  schools  is  in  following 
the  line  of  least  resistance,  thinking  that  because  they  are  small  they 
should  not  seek  constantly  to  improve.  The  best  plan  is  doubtless 
to  make  the  class  and  not  the  department  the  basis  of  organization. 
The  classes  should,  however,  correspond  if  possible  to  the  depart- 
ments; thus  there  would  be  in  a  small  school  a  Primary  class,  a  Junior 
class,  an  Intermediate  class,  a  Senior  class,  an  Adult  class,  and  an  Ex- 
tension class,  or  Home  Department.  When  a  suitable  teacher  can 
be  found  a  class  should  be  formed  even  if  there  are  only  two  or  three 
members.  Organization  into  small  groups  forms  the  nucleus  for  the 
most  rapid  growth  and  at  the  same  time  assures  the  best  teaching. 
The  Home  Department  should  be  organized  even  if  there  is  only  a 
superintendent.  The  Sunday  school  could  thus  be  extended  into 
country  districts  where  the  roads  are  bad  or  the  distances  great,  in 
which  case  a  family  would  constitute  a  class.  A  quarterly  visit 
would  keep  the  work  intact  and  thus  the  entire  community  would  be 
reached.  A  large  work  could  thus  be  carried  on  even  where  there  is 
no  central  weekly  meeting.  The  visitors  could  be  selected  according 
to  geographical  location. 

Suppose  only  three  teachers  can  be  found  for  a  school  of  twenty 
members ;  the  following  divisions  would  be  wise : 

(1)  A  Primary  class,  consisting  of  all  pupils  of  eleven  years  and 
under. 

45 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 


(2)  An  Intermediate-Senior  class,   consisting  of  all  pupils  from 
twelve  years  to  about  seventeen  years. 

(3)  An  Adult  class,  consisting  of  all  pupils  of  eighteen  years  and  over. 


JUNIOR 


PULPIT 


BEGINNERS 


:c^ 


SCREEN 


^--^^ 


^ 


4^^- 


.<>%^''- 


-«^^^ 
<^^^. 


&€^^^ 


sV 


^^- 


\^  cy 


^^- 


If  about  fifty  members  and  six  teachers  are  available,  simply  sub- 
divide each  class.  When  the  membership  exceeds  sixty  it  is  quite 
possible  to  have  classes  corresponding  to  departments  as  follows : 

(1)  Beginners.     (Four  and  five  years.) 

(2)  Primary.     (Six,  seven,  and  eight  years.) 

(3)  Junior.     (Nine,  ten,  eleven,  and  possibly  twelve  years.) 

(4)  Intermediate.     (Twelve  to  fourteen  or  fifteen  years.) 

(a)  Boys'  Class. 

(b)  Girls'  Class. 

46 


THE  SMALL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL:   POSSIBILITIES  AND  PROBLEMS 

(5)  Young  People's.     (Sixteen  to  twenty-four  years.) 

(a)  Boys'  Class. 

(b)  Girls'  Class. 

(6)  Adult.     (All  over  twenty-five  years.) 

The  organization  will  thus  consist  of  a  superintendent,  secretary, 
treasurer,  Ubrarian,  and  eight  teachers,  with  six  departments. 

The  problem  is  most  difficult  when  only  one  room  is  available. 
When  two  rooms  are  possible  the  solution  is  easier.  The  plan  for 
a  one-room  school  on  page  46  is  taken  from  an  article  in  The  Chris- 
tian Educator,  written  by  Mrs.  Maud  Junkin  Baldwin,  Elemen- 
tary Superintendent  of  the  International  Sunday  School  Associa- 
tion. 

The  following  is  a  plan  for  a  two-room,  school : 


BEGINNERS 


PRIMARY 
C 


GQ 
60 
< 
> 

< 

q: 
a. 


o 


3 
-3 


JUNIOR 
B 


JUNIOR 
C 


PULPIT 


^^^ 


:& 


^ 


^^ 


^<?• 


.m^- 


^cS> 


-^o- 


St 


47 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

2.  Curriculmn. — It  has  now  been  proved  that  almost  any  school, 
however  small,  can  use  the  Departmental  Graded  Lessons  up  to  the 
Senior  class.  For  Senior  and  Adult  classes  the  Uniform  Lessons  are 
at  present  the  best.  The  adult  Bible  class  monthly  will  be  found  ex- 
ceedingly valuable. 

3.  Administration.— A  school  should  not  allow  itself  to  become  pro- 
vincial or  get  into  a  rut.  This  is  too  often  the  case  with  a  small  school. 
New  ideas  should  be  welcomed.  The  program  for  the  exercises  should 
be  carefully  prepared  beforehand  and  frequently  changed.  Long 
talks  by  the  superintendent  have  killed  many  a  good  school.  Prompt- 
ness, a  worshipful  spirit,  and  a  businessHke  method  should  prevail. 
If  at  all  possible  the  Elementary  classes  should  have  their  own  open- 
ing and  closing  exercises.  Where  this  is  impossible,  the  exercises 
should  be  adapted  to  the  younger  pupils.  In  many  schools  these  ex- 
ercises are  simply  adult  exercises.  If  rightly  approached.  Junior  and 
Intermediate  boys  and  girls  will  always  take  some  active  part  in  the 
exercises.  In  his  valuable  book,  "How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday 
School,"  E.  Morris  Fergusson  presents  for  criticism  what  we  aU 
recognize  as  the  average  program  not  only  for  the  Uttle  but,  alas!  too 
often,  for  the  big  school.  We  quote  it  at  this  point  and  suggest  that 
it  be  subjected  to  careful  and  constructive  criticism.  Let  each  mem- 
ber of  the  class  also  present  for  criticism  a  substitute  program. 

AN  AVEIL\GE  RURAL  PROGRAM 

(Presented  for  analysis  and  criticism) 

Open  school  at  the  usual  hour,  provided  the  organist  is  not  late. 

Pass  around  Bibles,  hymn-books  and  lesson  leaves. 

Sing  one  or  two  hymns. 

Read  the  lesson  for  the  day,  responsively. 

Lead  the  school  in  prayer. 

Sing  another  hymn. 

Secretary  reads  the  minutes  of  last  Sunday's  session  and  calls  the  roll  of 
officers  and  teachers. 

Sing  the  lesson  hymn. 

Lesson  study  for  twenty  or  twenty-five  minutes.  The  superintendent 
teaches  a  class. 

Secretary  takes  up  the  offering  and  marks  the  attendance,  soon  after  the 
teachers  begin. 

Librarian  gives  out  books  and  papers,  a  little  before  the  teachers  close. 

School  called  to  order  without  notice.     Singing. 

Call  for  title,  golden  text  and  catechism  question  for  the  day;  sometimes 

48 


THE  SMALL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL:  POSSIBILITIES  AND  PROBLEMS 

ask  "desk  questions"  on  the  lesson.  School  responds  by  reading  from  the 
lesson  leaves. 

Secretary  reports  attendance  for  the  day,  number  of  visitors  and  collec- 
tion by  classes. 

Notices  and  remarks;  sometimes  a  talk  on  the  lesson.     Singing. 

The  Lord's  Prayer  in  concert,  standing. 

Dismissal. 

4.  Teacher-training  class. — Eighty  per  cent  of  the  efficiency  of  any 
Sunday  school  is  in  good  teaching.  This  should  greatly  encourage  the 
officers  of  the  small  school,  for  good  teachers  can  be  trained  irrespec- 
tive of  the  size  of  the  school  and  the  excellence  of  the  equipment.  The 
famous  chemistry  department  of  Johns  Hopkins  University  began  in 
a  cellar  with  a  few  soap  boxes  and  some  improvised  apparatus,  but 
it  had  a  young  and  ambitious  teacher.  Some  of  our  largest  and  most 
efficient  teacher-training  classes  are  in  small  churches  in  rural  districts. 
The  teacher-training  class  which  meets  on  a  week  night  might  well 
be  made  a  center  for  influencing  and  helping  many  young  people. 
In  scattered  districts,  the  class,  if  it  includes  present  teachers,  might 
meet  monthly  at  the  time  of  the  regular  Sunday-school  council.  If 
the  superintendent,  or  some  energetic  young  man  or  woman,  would 
organize  a  training  class,  even  if  there  are  only  two  pupils,  and  study 
the  course  together,  it  would  be  only  a  few  years  before  the  school  was 
suppHed  with  well-trained  workers. 

5.  Library. — Through  the  circulation  of  good  books  and  the  stimu- 
lating of  a  taste  for  reading,  the  small  school  can  render  a  great  service. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  if  the  school  is  located  where  there  is  no 
public  library.  Traveling  libraries  are  available,  and  the  Sunday- 
school  paper  can  be  made  a  great  educational  force.  It  is  not  the 
reading  of  many  books  that  counts,  but  the  reading  of  a  few  books 
well.  What  was  said  concerning  the  Ubrary  in  Study  II  applies 
equally  to  the  small  school,  but  of  course  must  be  carried  out  on  a 
smaller  scale. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  SMALL  SCHOOLS 

1.  Keep  open  all  year. 

2.  Have  a  Finance  Committee  and  strive  for  self-support. 

3.  Use  good  lesson  helps.     Your  children  are  entitled  to  the  best. 

4.  Keep  in  close  touch  with  your  denomination. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

5.  Extend  your  influence  into  every  home  for  miles  around. 

6.  Have  an  annual  conference  to  hear  reports,  discuss  methods,  and 
make  plans. 

7.  If  your  denomination  has  a  Sunday-school  missionary  in  your 
district,  let  him  help  you. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  thousands  of  small  Sunday 
schools  throughout  the  world  and  for  all  missionaries  who  are  doing 
pioneer  work. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  to  be  said  in  favor  of  a  small  school  and  a  small  class? 

2.  What  is  the  best  plan  of  organization  for  a  school  with  less  than 
twenty  members?     With  about  fifty  members? 

3.  Draw  a  plan  of  your  own  church  and  suggest  an  arrangement  of 
classes. 

4.  What  is  a  good  program  for  a  school?    How  should  it  be  varied? 

5.  Name  ten  difficulties  common  to  a  small  school  and  state  briefly 
how  you  would  overcome  them. 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Fergusson. — "How  to  Run  a  Little  Sunday  School." 
Paris.— "The  Sunday  School  at  Work." 


50 


STUDY  VIII 

STANDARDS  OF  EFFICIENCY  AND  PROBLEMS  OF 
ADMINISTRATION 

STANDARDS  OF  EFFICIENCY 

On  the  wall  of  a  very  large  school  there  hangs  this  motto :  "Every- 
one at  work  for  a  bigger  and  better  school."  A  Uttle  examination 
revealed  the  fact  that  the  standards  were  artificial.  They  wanted 
numbers  merely  for  the  sake  of  being  the  biggest  school  in  the  com- 
munity; they  wanted  a  teacher-training  class  and  a  graded  school  in 
order  to  get  a  pennant  and  a  certificate  with  seals  upon  it.  There  did 
not  seem  to  be  any  clear  conception  of  the  fact  that  standards  rest 
upon  vital  principles  and  exist  only  in  order  to  build  the  finest  types 
of  Christian  character. 

There  are  at  least  four  general  standards  of  efl&ciency : 

1.  The  spiritual  standard. — The  Sunday  school  is  a  school  of  re- 
ligion, building  character  through  a  vital  Christian  experience;  it 
should,  therefore,  aim  at  a  high  standard  of  worship.  The  essential 
elements  of  worship  are  reverence,  praise,  prayer,  giving,  and  earnest 
meditation  on  God's  Word.  Worship  is  an  atmosphere,  and  an  atti- 
tude of  heart  and  mind,  as  well  as  a  formal  exercise.  It  should  per- 
vade the  entire  session  of  the  school. 

A  high  spiritual  standard  will  include  the  desire  to  win  every  pupil 
to  a  personal  decision  for  Christ,  to  build  habits  of  church  attendance, 
and  to  cultivate  the  finest  spiritual  graces. 

2.  The  educational  standard. — Standards  of  efficiency  in  education 
are  based  upon  four  things : 

(1)  They  are  based  upon  what  the  child  can  become  and  do  at  any 
given  period  during  his  development,  in  other  words  upon  character 
and  conduct. 

(2)  These  standards  in  turn  give  rise  to  certain  needs  which  form 
the  aim  of  the  teacher.  In  order  to  have  the  child  realize  these  virtues 
certain  truths  must  be  presented  as  a  knowledge  of  God's  love,  power, 
and  daily  care  for  his  children.     This  gives  rise  to  a  third  principle. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

(3)  In  order  properly  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  growing  child  the 
BibHcal  materials  should  be  carefully  selected  and  graded,  the  chil- 
dren themselves  being  graded  according  to  periods. 

(4)  It  is  now  clear  that  the  best  results  educationally  can  be  attained 
only  when  the  teachers  have  a  good  knowledge  of  the  religious  needs  of 
the  pupil,  of  the  teaching  value  of  different  portions  of  the  Bible,  and 
of  the  best  methods  of  presenting  the  truth. 

3.  The  standard  of  organization  and  equipment. — The  organiza- 
tion and  equipment  of  the  Sunday  school  must  be  such  as  will  enable 
it  to  attain  the  educational  standard. 

4.  The  statistical  standard. — -This  includes  membership  or  enroll- 
ment standards.  Every  child  in  the  community  has  a  right  to  a  re- 
Hgious  education.  Mere  numbers  do  not  spell  success;  a  crowd  is 
not  a  school.  Unless  new  children  are  assimilated  into  the  spiritual 
life  of  the  school,  and  unless  ample  provision  is  made  for  their  proper 
training,  the  statistical  standard  is  not  attained.  This  also  involves 
a  careful  record  of  attendance  and  a  follow-up  system  which  insures 
pastoral  oversight  of  each  pupil.  A  statistical  standard  includes  as 
its  supreme  aim  the  winning  of  every  pupil  of  proper  age  to  an  open 
confession  of  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord.  The  fact  that  about  fifty 
per  cent  of  all  boys  and  girls  who  reach  the  Intermediate  Department 
drop  out  and  are  lost  to  the  Church  reveals  a  low  statistical  standard 
in  most  schools.  Let  us  also  remember  that  there  are  still  twelve 
milHon  boys  and  girls  in  the  United  States  who  are  not  receiving  any 
kind  of  reUgious  training. 

The  following  standards  have  come  into  existence  in  an  effort  to 
make  concrete  and  real  the  above  ideals.  They  should  be  studied  and 
constructively  criticized.  The  first  standard,  known  as  the  "Ten- 
Point  Standard"  was  formulated  at  the  International  Sunday  School 
Conference  held  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  1911.  It  was  changed  and  again 
officially  adopted  by  the  Sunday-School  Council  in  session  at  Rich- 
mond, Virginia,  in  1916,  and  a  month  later  by  the  International  As- 
sociation meeting  in  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

THE  TEN-POINT  STANDARD 

1.  Cradle  Roll  and  Home  Department. 

2.  Organized  Bible  Classes  in  Secondary  and  Adult  Divisions. 

52 


STANDARDS  OF  EFFICIENCY 

3.  Teacher  Training. 

4.  Graded  Organization  and  Instruction. 

5.  Missionary  Instruction  and  Offering. 

6.  Temperance  Instruction. 

7.  Definite  Decision  for  Christ  Urged. 

8.  Workers'  Conferences  Regularly  Held 

9.  Full  Denominational  Requirements. 

10.  Full  Sunday  School  Association  Requirements. 
Note. — The  Presbyterian  Church,  U.  S.  A.,  interprets  Point  9  as 
follows : 

(a)  School  under  control  of  session.  Annual  election  of  officers 
must  be  approved  by  church  session,  and  all  new  teachers 
chosen  must  also  receive  sessional  endorsement.  Each 
session  should  have  a  committee  on  the  Sunday  school. 

(b)  Observance  of  Children's  Day  and  Rally  Day  with  offerings 
for  Sunday-school  work. 

(c)  Observance  of  at  least  three  other  special  days;  offerings 
taken.  The  following  special  days  are  recommended  by  the 
General  Assembly : 

(1)  Second  Sunday  in  February:  Vocation  Day,  Board  of 
Education,  Board  of  Missions  for  Freedmen. 

(2)  Third  Sunday  in  February:    Education  Day,  Board  of 

Colleges. 

(3)  Sunday  nearest  Washington's  Birthday  and  Sunday 
nearest  Thanksgiving  Day :  Board  of  Home  Missions. 

(4)  Easter  Sunday  and  the  Sunday  before  Christmas :  Board 
of  Foreign  Missions. 

(5)  Second  Sunday  in  May:  Parents'  Day,  Board  of  j\Iin- 
isterial  Relief  and  Sustentation. 

(6)  Children's  Day  (second  Sunday  in  June)  and  Rally  Day 
(last  Sunday  in  September,  or  any  convenient  Sunday 
in  the  early  fall) :  Sabbath  School  and  Missionary  De- 
partment, Board  of  Pubhcation  and  Sabbath  School 
Work. 

(7)  Last  Sunda}'  in  October :   Board  of  Temperance 

(d)  Use  of  Westminster  lesson  helps. 

(e)  Accurate  records.     This  requires  the  use  of  class  books,  a 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

careful  revision  of  the  roll  once  a  year,  and  a  complete  sta- 
tistical report  to  the  clerk  of  the  session  on  April  1  of  each 
year. 
(Other  denominations  doubtless  have  somewhat  similar  interpre- 
tation.) 
The  Sunday  School  Association  interprets  Point  10  as  follows : 

(a)  Report  to  the  interdenominational  organization. 

(b)  Representation  at  conventions. 

(c)  Offering  for  interdenominational  work. 

PRESBYTERIAN  ADVANCE  STANDARD 
The  later  developments  in  Sunday-school  work  and  in  Christian 
education  in  general  call  for  an  advance  upon  The  Ten-Point  Stan- 
dard, which  will  include  the  larger  educational  relationships  of  the 
Church. 

1.  Council  of  Religious  Education. 

2.  Religious  Training  in  the  Home  and  Correlation  of  the  Home 
with  the  Sunday  School,  Including  a  Class  for  Parents. 

3.  Adequate  Building  and  Equipment. 

4.  Catechetical    Instruction,    Bible    Reading,    and    Church   At- 
tendance. 

5.  Training  of  Officers  and  Teachers. 

6.  Young  People's  Societies  with  Definite  Educational  Program 
and  Correlation  with  the  Sunday  School. 

7.  Missionary  Education,  Unified  and  Graded. 

8.  Vocational  Guidance  and  Instruction. 

9.  Systematic  Giving. 

10.  Community  Extension. 

PROBLEMS  OF  ADMINISTRATION 
We  create  problems  of  administration  when  we  set  up  high  stand- 
ards. It  is  a  craven  attitude  that  would  lower  the  standards  in  order 
to  avoid  troublesome  problems.  Patient  striving  after  high  ideals 
will  make  the  workman  worthy  of  his  work.  In  addition  to  being 
good  organizers  and  educators,  all  general  and  departmental  officers 
should  have  administrative  ability.     It  is  one  thing  to  plan  the  work; 

54 


STANDARDS  OF  EFFICIENXY 

it  is  quite  another  matter  to  work  the  plan.  Administrative  success 
includes  the  ability  to  bring  things  to  pass  promptly  and  efficiently, 
painstaking  and  persistent  regard  for  minor  details,  and  the  ability 
to  work  with  others. 

1 .  The  problem  of  the  opening  exercise. — How  can  it  be  made  wor- 
shipful? If  it  is  not  helpful  it  should  be  ehminated.  We  oflfer  the 
following  suggestions  :  Begin  promptly,  with  every  teacher  and  officer 
in  place  and  in  a  reverent,  attentive  attitude.  An  officious,  bustling 
secretary,  or  a  tardy,  indifferent  teacher  means  an  irreverent  school. 
Have  a  program,  varied  from  time  to  time  but  with  a  definite  theme 
or  aim  throughout  the  quarter.  Individuals,  classes,  and  depart- 
ments may  be  prepared  to  participate  actively.  Never  exceed  twenty 
minutes  when  the  whole  session  is  not  over  one  hour  and  fifteen  min- 
utes long. 

2.  The  problem  of  attendance. — The  average  attendance  in  the 
pubHc  schools  is  eighty-three  and  one  half  per  cent.  The  average 
attendance  in  our  Sunday  schools  is  about  fifty  per  cent.  Quite  a 
number  of  schools  have  attained  an  average  of  from  sixty  per  cent  to 
sixty-five  per  cent,  and  a  few  have  as  high  a  record  as  seventy  per 
cent.  Here  is  one  amazing  record.  In  the  summer  of  1916  the  Pres- 
byterian Summer  Bible  School  at  Chester,  Pennsylvania,  which  ran 
for  a  period  of  five  weeks  with  an  enrollment  of  three  hundred  and 
forty-eight,  had  an  average  attendance  of  ninety-four  and  one  fourth 
per  cent.  There  is  no  vaHd  reason  why  the  ordinary  Sunday  school 
should  not  have  an  average  attendance  of  at  least  seventy  per  cent 
from  September  1  to  June  30.  A  special  organization  for  the  summer 
months  will  greatly  improve  the  general  average.  In  rural  districts 
where  the  roads  are  poor  and  the  distances  long,  credit  should  be  given 
for  home  recitation  and  grading  by  the  parent  in  case  of  stormy 
weather  or  impassable  roads.  This  should  count  in  the  making  up  of 
the  average. 

Increasing  attendance  by  artificial  means  is  hke  administering  a 
stimulant  during  a  spell  of  organic  heart  failure.  There  are  no  doubt 
occasions  when  it  is  advisable  but  if  too  often  used  it  will  prove  to  be 
a  mere  drug  habit.  A  strong  average  pulse  is  possible  only  when  there 
is  a  sound  heart.  A  high  average  attendance  in  any  school  depends 
upon  faithful,  efficient  teachers,  with  a  genius  for  friendship  and  the 

55 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

ability  to  create  loyalty  and  enthusiasm  in  the  class;  a  thoroughgoing 
departmental  organization;  a  high  educational  standard  with  a  simple 
plan  for  credits;  and  a  thoroughly  workable  follow-up  system  on  the 
part  of  the  secretary  and  the  teacher,  working  together.  In  the 
secondary  and  adult  divisions  of  the  Sunday  school,  class  organiza- 
tion plays  an  important  part  in  keeping  up  the  attendance.  The 
Welfare,  the  Social,  and  the  IMembership  committees  are  all  con- 
tributing factors. 

3.  The  secretary  and  the  problem  of  records. — In  his  articles  in 
the  November  and  December,  1916,  issues  of  The  Christian  Educator, 
Herbert  W.  Gates  says,  "If  the  secretary  has  the  vision  he  can  do  more 
than  any  other  one  man  to  make  the  work  of  teachers,  superinten- 
dent, and  pastor  efficient."  The  problem  of  records  includes  a  study 
of  principles,  a  study  of  methods,  and  a  study  of  materials.  Records 
should  be  individual;  they  should  reveal  the  degree  to  which  the  stand- 
ards and  ideals  of  the  school  are  being  realized  in  each  pupil's  Hfe  in 
relation  to  character,  conduct,  and  attendance.  They  should  also 
reveal  the  degree  to  which  the  church  actually  concerns  itself  about 
the  spiritual  welfare  and  whereabouts  of  the  pupil  each  Sunday,  the 
reason  he  leaves  the  school,  where  he  goes,  and  what  other  school  he 
joins.  In  looking  up  absentees  the  secretary  will  do  well  to  enlist 
the  active  cooperation  of  the  class  and  teacher.  No  pupil  should  be 
allowed  to  be  away  more  than  one  Sunday  without  some  member  of 
the  class  looking  after  him.  When  he  has  been  absent  two  Sundays 
the  teacher  should  call  on  him,  and  after  an  absence  of  three  Sundays, 
the  pastor  or  parish  visitor  should  call.  If  sickness  or  trouble  is  re- 
ported the  child  should  be  visited  at  once  by  the  teacher,  and  the 
pastor  should  be  notified.  The  secretary  should  insist  on  having  on 
his  records  a  report  from  every  teacher  concerning  the  absence  of  any 
pupil,  together  with  the  cause.  This  requires  effort  on  the  part  of  all 
concerned.  Often  teachers  object  to  even  the  small  amount  of  clerical 
work  necessary.  This  objection  can  be  overruled  by  the  whole  school's 
taking  action  asking  the  secretary  to  insist  upon  it.  The  good  results 
are  so  apparent  that  any  consecrated  teacher  will  not  think  of  ob- 
jecting. The  following  simple  card  or  slip  for  recording  the  desired 
information  has  been  used  very  effectively. 

56 


STANDARDS  OF  EFFICIENCY 

ABSENTEE  RECORD 
The  First  Presbyterian  Sunday  School 

Teacher Miss  Jones 

Class No.  26 

John  Evans  has  been  absent  two  Sundays.     Please  look  up  and 
report  cause.  James  Smith,  Secretary, 

CAUSE  OF  ABSENCE 
Was  sick  and  is  better. 
Was  out  of  city. 
Is  dissatisfied. 

Has  moved  to 

Date 

Stella  Jones,  Teacher. 

The  card  system  is  undoubtedly  the  best  for  keeping  the  general 
records  of  the  school.  One  general  principle  should  apply  to  any 
system.  It  should  be  comprehensive  and  at  the  same  time  as  simple 
and  workable  as  possible.  No  secretary  can  do  his  work  right  without 
some  help.  He  should,  therefore,  choose  competent  assistants. 
Neither  can  he  do  his  work  properly  during  the  school  hour.  At  least 
one  or  two  hours  during  the  week  will  be  necessary.  Where  the  school 
is  thoroughly  organized  the  departmental  secretaries  will  assume 
many  of  the  duties  above  indicated,  but  they  should  always  work  as  a 
part  of  the  whole  secretarial  system. 

In  the  article  by  Mr.  Gates,  a  card  system  is  suggested.  In  "The 
Sunday  School  at  Work,"  Chapter  II,  there  is  also  a  good  description 
of  the  card  system  of  records. 

4.  The  problem  of  increasing  the  membership. — A  Sunday  school 
should  be  as  large  as  its  opportunity.  A  live,  wide-awake  school  will 
never  cease  to  grow.  When  all  of  the  children  in  the  neighborhood 
have  been  gathered  in,  the  missionary  spirit  will  push  the  school  out 
into  neglected  places  both  at  home  and  in  far-away  sections.  A  mis- 
sion school  or  a  home-study  class  in  connection  with  the  main  school 
is  a  legitimate  increase.  We  know  of  one  Sunday  school  that  reports 
twelve  hundred  members,  yet  only  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  are 
in  the  home  church  school;  the  rest  are  enrolled  in  well-organized 
mission  schools. 

A  growing  school  depends  upon  the  way  in  which  it  takes  care  of 
the  children  it  already  has.     Here  is  a  pertinent  question : 

"Too  many  schools  rely  upon  indiscriminate  campaigns  for  mem- 

.57 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

bership  to  fill  up  the  gaps  caused  by  their  own  losses.  What  right 
has  the  church  that  is  not  efficiently  nurturing  its  own  pupils  and 
bringing  them  into  vital  relationship  with  Jesus  Christ  and  his  Church, 
to  ask  the  community  to  intrust  any  more  children  to  its  keeping?" 

An  increase  in  membership  will  always  depend  upon  a  strong  edu- 
cational program.  It  has  been  proved  many  times  that  growing 
schools  are  usually  the  schools  with  high  educational  standards. 

A  community  canvass  each  year  will  always  prove  helpful  when 
properly  followed  up. 

Friendly  rivalry  between  departments  and  classes  stimulates  in- 
crease in  membership.  This  should  be  carefully  guarded.  Red  and 
blue  contests  are  profitable  when  carefully  organized  and  the  influx 
of  new  members  well  assimilated.  Such  a  contest  should  be  immedi- 
ately followed  by  a  special  effort  to  increase  the  average  attendance 
which  is  what  counts  most  after  all. 

The  spiritual  tone  of  the  school,  the  ability  to  satisfy  deep  religious 
needs,  an  atmosphere  of  Christian  fellowship,  and  a  well-thought-out 
social  program  are  all  vital  elements  in  increasing  membership.  Noth- 
ing, however,  can  take  the  place  of  faithful,  persistent,  hard  work. 
There  is  a  very  suggestive  chapter  on  "How  to  Increase  the  Member- 
ship" in  "The  Sunday  School  at  Work." 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  secretaries  and  other  faithful 
helpers  in  the  Sunday  schools  throughout  the  world. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  do  we  mean  by  standards? 

2.  Are  there  any  other  standards  not  mentioned? 

3.  What  is  the  relation  of  standards  to  problems  of  administration? 

4.  Draw  up  a  good  program  for  the  opening  worship. 

5.  How  may  the  problem  of  attendance  be  solved? 

6.  Describe  the  ideal  secretary  and  his  duties. 

7.  What  are  the  principal  factors  that  make  for  increased  member- 
ship? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Fares.— "The  Sunday  School  at  Work." 

Gates. — Articles  in  The  Christian  Educator,  November  and  De- 
cember, 1916. 
Hartshorne. — "Worship  in  the  Sunday  School," 
Lawrance. — "How  to  Conduct  a  Sunday  School." 

58 


STUDY  IX 

EVANGELISM  AND  TRAINING  FOR  SERVICE 

EVANGELISM  IN  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 
1.  Its  meaning  and  motive. — The  word,  evangel,  means  good  news, 
the  good  news  of  the  gospel.  An  evangelist  is  one  who  proclaims  the 
good  news  of  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  the  message  of  re- 
demption through  the  cross  and  of  eternal  life,  through  faith  in  the 
crucified  and  risen  Lord.  It  is  an  open  proclamation  of  the  coming 
of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  the  doing  of  his  will,  and  the  estabhshment 
upon  earth  of  righteousness,  justice,  love,  and  peace.  Salvation  and 
the  Kingdom  of  God  can  come  only  as  men  individually  repent  of  their 
sin  and  become  reconciled  to  God,  who  "so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son."  The  evangelistic  note  in  the  gospel 
is  earnest  and  urgent  and  filled  with  a  passionate  love  and  devotion. 
The  motive  is  the  motive  of  the  cross.  Study  Matt.  4 :  17-25;  18 :  1- 
14;  II  Cor.,  chs.  4,  5,  6. 

The  Church  is  the  body  of  Christ  on  earth.  It  is  the  visible  fellow- 
ship of  beHevers  in  Jesus  who  by  their  public  worship  of  God,  their 
goodness  of  Hfe,  and  their  love  for  one  another,  bear  testimony  to  the 
divine  mission  of  Jesus  as  Saviour.  The  Church  is  the  chosen  instru- 
ment of  Christ  for  the  great  work  of  establishing  his  Kingdom  upon 
earth.  Study  Matt.  16:13-20;  Eph.  1:15-23;  John  17:13-21; 
20:19-23. 

Sunday-school  teachers  have  a  strategic  relationship  to  the  evan- 
gelistic aim  and  purpose  of  the  Church.  From  the  time  when  the 
Sunday  school,  through  the  Cradle  Roll  Department,  touches  the  life 
of  the  Uttle  babe  in  the  home,  up  through  the  developing  years  until 
the  matured  life  is  firmly  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  faith  and  love 
that  is  in  Christ,  the  teacher  is  a  vital  and  essential  factor  in  the  evan- 
geHzing  process.  Each  succeeding  teacher  in  the  life  of  a  child  is  a 
rung  in  the  ladder  by  which  that  child  climbs  up  into  the  hfe  of  God. 
The  first  rung  is  just  as  essential  to  the  ascent  as  the  topmost  rung. 

59 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

See  Part  II,  Study  X.     Section  on  "The  Challenge  to  Faith."     Read 
also  Eph.  4 :  7-15. 

2.  Methods. — The  great  historic  revivals  of  the  Church  have  been 
the  outcome  of  movements  centered  around  fresh  emphasis  upon  the 
reading  of  the  Word  of  God  by  the  people  and  upon  the  cardinal  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  faith.  The  Reformation  was  such  a  revival; 
so  also  was  the  great  awakening  under  John  Wesley  and  George  White- 
field.  In  a  lesser  way  this  same  movement  of  the  Holy  Spirit  comes  to 
a  single  church  or  to  the  Hfe  of  the  individual.  The  revival  that  is 
not  preceded  by  a  period  of  preparation  through  Bible  study  and 
prayer  is  forced.  It  does  not  get  down  to  the  roots  of  the  religious 
life.  The  modern  adult  Bible  class,  rightly  understood,  is  a  mighty 
evangelistic  movement  within  the  life  of  the  Church. 

Decision  Day  in  the  Sunday  school  is  the  proper  reaping  by  the 
pastor  after  years  of  faithful,  patient  sowing  and  cultivation  on  the 
part  of  teachers.  The  best  time  to  have  Decision  Day  is  during  the 
weeks  preceding  Easter.  The  lessons  in  the  Intermediate  and  Senior 
grades  should  lead  up  to  this  greatest  of  all  events  in  the  Hfe  of  our 
Lord.  The  new  Departmental  Graded  Lessons  are  so  arranged. 
Several  weeks  before  Decision  Day  the  teachers  should  come  together 
for  prayer  and  no  teacher  should  lose  the  golden  opportunity  to  get 
into  close  personal  touch  with  each  student  concerning  this  matter  of 
the  great  decision.  Such  a  day  should  also  be  a  time  when  every  young 
person  who  has  already  become  a  Christian  will  take  a  step  forward 
in  the  Christian  hfe.  It  should  in  fact  become  a  time  of  spiritual  re- 
freshment for  the  whole  school.  All  young  people  who  express  any 
desire  to  consider  the  Christian  life  should  be  gathered  into  a  com- 
municants' class  and  carefully  prepared  for  Church  membership. 

3.  Conserving  results. — After  a  recent  communion  service  a  very 
capable  teacher  was  heard  to  say,  "I  feel  as  if  my  work  were  done; 
all  of  my  girls  have  now  joined  the  Church."  As  a  matter  of  fact 
her  work  had  just  begun.  This  is  the  great  mistake  made  by  so  many 
teachers  and  pastors.  The  new  Hfe  in  Christ  must  become  deeply 
and  firmly  rooted  or  it  will  wither  and  die  away.  There  are  four  ways 
of  conserving  evangeHstic  results :  by  Bible  instruction,  by  the  culti- 
vation of  the  devotional  Hfe,  by  winning  others  to  Christ,  and  by  serv- 
ice in  the  church  and  community. 

60 


EVANGELISM  AND  TRAINING  FOR  SERVICE 

TRAINING  FOR  CHURCH  LEADERSHIP 

1.  Vocational  training. — How  can  I  make  my  life  count?  What 
is  the  relation  of  my  life  work  to  my  Christian  calh'ng?  These 
are  vital  questions  which  the  Sunday-school  teacher  must  help  to 
answer,  but  they  must  be  answered  by  the  uniting  and  blending  of 
natural  tendencies  and  talents  with  outside  influences  during  the  whole 
period  of  early  development.  Prayer  and  the  guiding  purpose  of  God 
are  factors  in  leading  most  young  people  to  decide  upon  their  hfe 
work. 

The  Church  needs  the  finest  young  men  and  women  for  the  ministry, 
for  various  lines  of  Christian  work,  and  for  all  kinds  of  service  upon  the 
home  and  foreign  mission  fields.  It  is  the  privilege  and  the  duty  of 
the  Sunday-school  teacher  in  cooperation  with  parents  and  pastor, 
to  guide  young  men  and  women  into  these  high  places  of  service 
for  the  Master.  When  teachers  fully  realize  their  strategic  oppor- 
tunity in  this  regard  there  will  be  no  lack  of  laborers  for  the  whitened 
harvest.  In  teaching  the  early  Hfe  of  Moses,  of  Samuel,  of  John  the 
Baptist,  or  of  countless  other  men  and  women  of  God,  the  Primary  or 
Junior  teacher  can  awaken  tendencies  and  set  in  motion  influences 
that  will  prove  permanent  and  decisive. 

Every  calling  of  Hfe,  such  as  motherhood,  merchant,  mechanic, 
farmer,  or  any  of  the  professions,  should  be  exalted  as  an  opportunity 
through  which  a  sacred  service  can  be  rendered  to  humanity.  Humble 
toil,  filled  with  gladness  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  is  both  work  and  wor- 
ship. 

2.  Training  for  lay  leadership  in  the  local  church. — The  Church 
has  rightly  placed  great  emphasis  upon  a  trained  ministry,  but,  for 
some  strange  reason,  it  has,  until  lately,  overlooked  the  importance  and 
the  possibilities  of  trained  lay  leadership.  Of  recent  years,  however, 
the  Church  has  had  a  great  vision  of  what  can  be  done  in  this  direction. 
We  now  see  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  educative  process  that  the  Sunday 
school  shall  endeavor  to  train  its  young  people  for  active,  intelHgent 
leadership  and  service  in  the  local  church.  This  will  mean  a  new  era 
of  advancement,  especially  in  the  small  school  where  competent  leaders 
are  few. 

(a)  Teacher-training.  There  should  be  a  teacher-training  class  in 
every  school  and,  as  the  class  advances  and  new  classes  are  started, 

61 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

the  result  should  be  a  Teacher-Training  Department  which  is  just  as 
efficient  as  any  other  department  in  the  school.  The  officers  should 
be  a  principal,  or  supervisor,  a  secretary,  and  teachers  of  the  various 
classes.  When  the  members  of  a  class  have  finished  the  first  year  and 
have  received  their  certificates,  they  should  be  counted  as  alumni. 
Those  who  finish  the  third  year  and  receive  the  diploma  will  be  gradu- 
ate alumni.  An  alumni  association  should  be  organized  with  a  presi- 
dent and  a  secretary.  Its  chief  function  should  be  to  promote  teacher- 
training  by  getting  new  classes  organized,  by  keeping  up  a  good 
teacher-training  library,  and  by  promoting  educational  ideals. 

(b)  Training  for  Church  leadership.  In  addition  to  training  young 
people  to  become  efficient  Sunday-school  officers  and  teachers,  the 
Church  should  also  provide  for  the  training  of  young  men  and  women 
to  fill  all  of  the  other  offices  and  places  of  leadership  in  the  Church. 
Experience  points  to  the  Young  People's  Society  and  the  Senior  and 
Young  People's  departments  of  the  Sunday  school  as  the  organiza- 
tions which,  working  together,  can  best  provide  this  training.  Many 
young  people 'fe  societies  are  now  providing  classes  in  missions;  Church 
history;  denominational  history,  government  and  program;  leader- 
ship among  young  people;  boys'  and  girls'  work;  social  service;  and 
the  development  of  the  devotional  Hfe.  The  Presbyterian  Church, 
U.  S.  A.,  gives  a  certificate  and  diploma  to  all  who  successfully  com- 
plete a  course  of  sixty  periods,  covering  the  above  subjects  and  in- 
cluding some  teacher-training.  Anyone  who  has  completed  such  a 
course,  as  well  as  the  Sunday-school  teachers,  should  be  eligible  to 
membership  in  the  alumni  association. 

(c)  Summer  and  midwinter  institutes  and  conferences.  In  con- 
nection with  the  above  systems  of  training,  summer  and  winter  con- 
ferences or  institutes  are  becoming  an  important  factor.  These  are 
usually  held  for  periods  of  from  five  to  ten  days  and  provide  for  at 
least  three  or  four  regular  courses  of  five  hours  each.  All  of  the  lead- 
ing denominations  are  now  providing  such  institutes  for  their  young 
people  and  for  all  Sunday-school  officers  and  teachers. 

(d)  Community  institutes.  At  present  there  are  about  eighty-five 
such  organizations  and  they  are  increasing  rapidly  in  number.  Vari- 
ous denominations  combine  in  organizing  an  institute  which  provides 
competent  instructors  and  a  course  of  study  covering  usually  about 

62 


EVANGELISM  AND  TRAINING  FOR  SERVICE 

twenty  periods.  The  meetings  are  held  once  a  week.  Such  an  insti- 
tute has  two  fundamental  aims :  first,  to  awaken  the  whole  commu- 
nity to  the  importance  and  scope  of  moral  and  religious  education; 
second,  to  train  leaders  who  can  go  back  to  their  individual  churches 
and  organize  and  conduct  classes  in  teacher-training  and  Church 
leadership.  Experience  has  proved  that  if  the  best  and  widest  re- 
sults are  to  be  obtained,  the  first-year  classes  should  be  conducted  in 
each  local  church,  under  the  care  of  the  pastor  and  local  committee. 
An  institute  which  attempts  to  provide  for  all  of  the  first-year  training 
greatly  hmits  its  scope.  Advanced  classes  should  be  provided  for  all 
who  wish  to  attend. 

TRAINING  FOR  COMMUNITY  SERVICE 

In  performing  its  task  of  building  Christian  character,  the  Sunday 
school  functions  in  worship,  instruction,  and  service.  The  idea  of 
service  should  find  expression  not  only  in  the  Church,  in  the  home,  and 
in  all  individual  relationships,  but  also  in  relation  to  community  and 
national  life.  Young  men  and  women  should  be  taught  to  count  as 
positive  Christian  forces  in  all  social  and  political  relationships.  They 
should  be  willing  to  serve  their  community  and  state  in  whatever  ca- 
pacity called  upon,  but  always  as  Christians,  true  to  Christlike  ideals, 
and  ever  seeking  to  build  up  and  express  in  social  and  political  insti- 
tutions the  fundamental  principles  of  righteousness,  justice,  and  love. 
If  there  are  immoral  and  evil  influences  at  work  in  any  community, 
such  as  bad  moving  pictures,  saloons,  gambling  dens,  houses  of  ill 
repute,  low  dance  halls,  and  unsanitary  and  broken-down  tenements 
v/hich  breed  disease  and  immorality,  it  is  the  function  and  the  duty  of 
the  churches  of  that  community  to  organize  the  young  people  to  fight 
these  evils  and  to  put  in  their  places  wholesome,  constructive  substi- 
tutes. If  a  political  campaign  plainly  involves  vital,  moral  issues,  a 
similar  stand  should  be  made  in  behalf  of  Christian  patriotism  and 
citizenship. 

The  Christian  philosophy  of  service  as  stated  in  the  twelfth  chapter 
of  Romans  should  be  analyzed  as  a  part  of  this  study.  See  Rom. 
11:  33  to  12:21. 

1.  The  wisdom  and  the  will  of  God  for  every  Hfe.  Rom.  11 :  33  to 
12:2. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

2.  Finding  one's  proper  place  in  the  Church  and  the  social  structure. 
Rom.  12 : 3-8. 

3.  Sincere  Christian  love,  the  positive  principle  of  all  morality  and 
social  service.     Rom.  12  :  9-21. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  that  more  young  men  and  women 
may  be  led  to  devote  their  Hves  to  Christian  work. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  What  is  your  conception  of  evangehsm? 

2.  Describe  a  successful  Decision  Day. 

3.  What  is  the  meaning  and  scope  of  vocational  training? 

4.  What  is  the  best  way  of  promoting  teacher-training? 

5.  Describe  three  other  methods  of  training  leaders. 

6.  What  is  involved  in  training  for  community  service? 

SUGGESTED  READING 

McKlNNEY.— "The  ChUd  for  Christ." 
McKiNLEY. — "Educational  Evangehsm." 
Goodman. — "Evangehsm  Through  Bible  Study." 
Faris.— "The  Sunday  School  at  Work."     Ch.  XV. 
Bloomfield. — "Vocational  Guidance  of  Youth." 
Hall. — Articles  on  training  for  leadership.    The  Christian  Edu- 
cator for  1916-1917. 


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STUDY  X 

THE  LARGER  RELATIONSHIPS  AND  THE  FUTURE  DE- 
VELOPMENT OF  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  THE  CENTRAL  ORGANIZATION  IN 
A  UNIFIED  SCHEME  OF  CHRISTIAN  EDUCATION 

The  importance  of  having  a  general  council  or  committee  on  re- 
ligious education  is  pressing.  Briefly  stated  there  are  two  funda- 
mental reasons  for  this:  (1)  An  education  committee  is  needed  to 
estimate  the  needs  and  influences  which  touch  a  boy's  week-day  life. 

Suppose  a  nine-year-old  stranger  should  appear  some  morning  in 
Sunday  school,  wistfully  look  up  into  the  face  of  the  Junior  principal, 
and  ask  to  be  helped  in  building  up  a  well-rounded  Christian  char- 
acter. He  is  put  into  the  class  of  a  teacher  who  knows  nothing  or 
cares  nothing  about  his  individual  needs,  his  physical  condition,  his 
home  surroundings,  his  week-day  habits,  or  his  associates.  He  is 
just  one  of  many  other  boys  for  whom  the  school  is  responsible  only 
one  hour  out  of  every  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight.  He  is  told  that 
he  should  attend  church;  he  does  so  and  goes  to  sleep.  The  session 
and  the  pastor  know  nothing  of  him;  he  is  lost  in  the  crowd.  In  the 
Junior  Endeavor  Society  he  is  taught  in  a  manner  wholly  unrelated  to 
the  instruction  of  the  morning  and  possibly  ill  adapted  to  his  needs. 
His  parents  are  not  at  all  interested  so  he  is  left  to  seek  his  own  com- 
panions and  select  his  own  reading.  On  Monday  he  goes  to  a  moving 
picture  exhibition  and  is  filled  with  false  and  unwholesome  inpressions 
of  Hfe.  The  next  Sunday  the  lesson  hour  is  broken  into  and  virtually 
spoiled  because  a  zealous  Missionary  Committee  wishes  to  crowd  in 
some  supplementary  work  which  has  never  been  organized  and  as- 
similated as  a  part  of  the  curriculum.  The  result  is  a  continuation  of 
confused  impressions.  The  child's  dream  and  vision  become  blurred 
and  finally  fade.  At  fourteen  he  drops  out  of  Sunday  school  and  out 
of  sight.  The  great  material  world  with  its  subtle  temptations,  its 
fascinating  lure,  and  its  appeal  to  the  senses,  swallows  him  up. 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

(2)  An  education  committee  is  needed  to  unify  and  correlate  all 
of  the  organizations  which  seek  in  any  way  to  help  in  the  process  of 
Christian  education.  In  this  process  of  unification  and  correlation 
the  Sunday  school  occupies  a  central  place.  Around  it  the  whole  edu- 
cational work  of  the  Church  should  be  built.  The  chief  reasons  for 
this  are  as  follows :  (a)  The  Sunday  school  has  the  work  of  directly 
teaching  the  Bible,  the  central  Book  in  any  curriculum  of  Christian 
education;  (b)  it  engages  in  classroom  instruction  under  increasingly 
efficient  teachers;  (c)  it  deals  with  all  ages  and  all  sorts  and  conditions 
of  people,  and  is,  therefore,  capable  of  the  widest  and  richest  adjust- 
ments; (d)  it  has  a  unique  type  of  organization  best  adapted  to  sur- 
vive and  to  develop  through  enlargement  of  function.  In  any  effort 
to  unify  the  various  organizations  at  w-ork  and  build  up  a  well-articu- 
lated system  of  Christian  education  in  the  local  church,  the  Sunday- 
school  organization  and  the  Sunday-school  curriculum  will  be  central 
and  determining  factors. 

The  Sunday  School  in  Relation  to  the  Home 
The  home  is  the  fundamental  institution  designed  by  God  for  the 
moral  and  reUgious  training  of  children.  See  Part  II,  Study  III. 
The  Sunday  school  assumed  that  it  could  take  over  the  religious  train- 
ing of  children  just  as  the  pubHc  school  had  taken  over  the  work  of 
cultural  and  vocational  education.  This  has  proved  a  great  mistake, 
almost  a  blunder.  Not  only  have  vital  elements  disappeared  from  the 
educational  work  of  the  Church,  but  the  home  Hfe  begins  to  break 
down  whenever  it  ceases  to  be  responsible  for  the  religious  training  of 
the  children.  Moreover,  the  Sunday  school  needs  the  constant  co- 
operation, the  sympathy,  and  the  prayers  of  Christian  homes. 

As  a  result  the  Sunday  school  is  taking  an  entirely  new  attitude  to- 
ward the  home.  By  means  of  Cradle  Roll  and  Home  depart- 
ments, adult  classes,  and  parents'  classes,  the  Sunday  school  has 
such  an  opportunity  to  influence  the  homes  of  our  land  for  Christ 
as  no  other  institution  possesses. 

The  Sunday  School  in  Relation  to  the  Public  School 
There  was  a  time  when  the  Bible  and  the  Catechism  were  regularly 
taught,  side  by  side  with  arithmetic,  geography,  and  history.     No 

66 


RELATIONSHIPS  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

one  thought  of  a  distinction  between  secular  and  religious  education. 
Owing  to  sectarian  differences,  the  principle  of  the  separation  of 
Church  and  State  in  pubhc  education  gradually  developed.  As  a 
result  moral  and  rehgious  instruction  disappeared  entirely  from  pubHc- 
school  education.  The  Church  has,  therefore,  a  twofold  task  :  first, 
to  supply  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  lacking  in  the  pubhc 
school;  second,  to  make  that  instruction  so  efficient,  so  worth  while, 
and  so  closely  correlated  with  the  public-school  studies  that  children 
and  parents  will  give  it  the  same  valuation. 

A  closer  correlation  between  the  Sunday  school  and  the  pubhc- 
school  education  may  be  brought  about  in  the  following  way : 

L  From  the  standpoint  of  the  public  school. — (a)  The  Bible  may 
be  read  and  prayer  offered  each  morning;  (b)  moral  instruction  may  be 
introduced  into  each  grade  and  many  Bible  precepts  and  proverbs 
learned;  (c)  the  Bible  narrative  may  be  studied  as  a  part  of  the 
courses  in  hterature;  (d)  the  best  hymns  of  the  Church  may  be  sung 
and  learned;  (e)  Christian  teachers,  who  are  reverent  toward  God  and 
sympathetic  in  deaHng  with  the  religious  Hfe  of  children,  may  be 
selected. 

Beyond  this,  in  the  pubhc  school,  it  may  not  be  wise  to  go.  In 
private  schools  and  Christian  colleges,  Bible  study  is  required  as  a 
part  of  the  curriculum  and  as  definite  religious  instruction. 

2.  From  the  standpoint  of  the  Sunday  school. — (a)  Superintendents 
and  teachers  can  pray  for  the  pubhc  school  and  pubhc-school  teachers ; 
(b)  many  churches  are  open  every  morning  for  a  twenty-minute  de- 
votional service  and  large  numbers  of  children  attend  before  going  to 
school;  (c)  teachers  can  use  the  knowledge  gained  in  the  pubhc  school 
as  illustrative  of,  or  related  to,  the  religious  truth  taught  in  the  Sun- 
day-school lesson;  (d)  a  system  of  credit  toward  promotion  or  gradua- 
tion in  the  pubhc  school  for  work  done  in  the  Sunday  school  may  be 
estabhshed.  The  State  Board  of  Education  and  the  proper  Church 
authorities  decide  upon  a  course  of  study  which  must  be  taken  under 
an  approved  teacher.  The  recitation  period  must  be  forty-five  min- 
utes long  and  an  examination  must  be  taken  under  the  direction  of  the 
pubhc-school  authorities.  Credit  is  then  received  toward  gradua- 
tion. This  plan  apphes  to  the  high  school  and  is  in  operation  in  several 
states,  among  them  Colorado,  North  Dakota,  Indiana,  and  Wash- 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

ington.  There  is  much  to  commend  in  it,  but  there  is  danger  of  its 
becoming  un-American  if  not  carefully  Hmited.  For  the  sake  of  the 
credit  the  Church  should  not  surrender  definitely  rehgious  values  or 
direct  control  of  its  task.  With  these  two  precautions  in  mind  the 
system  is  well  worth  a  trial. 


The  Sunday  School  in  Relation  to  Week-Day  Religious 

Instruction 

The  problem  of  time  for  religious  instruction  is  serious.  A  one- 
hour  session  one  day  a  week  lacks  thoroughness  and  continuity,  the 
two  essential  factors  in  constructive  education.  Thoroughness  can 
be  gained  only  by  a  longer  session  on  Sunday  and  continuity  can  be 
attained  only  by  some  form  of  week-day  religious  instruction. 

1.  A  longer  school  session  on  Sunday. — If  the  Church  is  ever  going 
to  perform  its  task  properly,  at  least  two  hours  every  Sunday  must  be 
given  to  the  work  of  Christian  education.  Three  things  should  be 
aimed  at:  first,  to  provide  real,  dignified,  and  vital  worship;  second, 
to  secure  genuine  study  and  thoughtful  discussion  of  the  lesson;  third, 
to  train  the  expression  of  the  devotional  Hfe  of  each  student.  It  is 
essential  that  these  three  aims  be  attained  in  the  case  of  all  pupils  and 
not  merely  of  a  small  group. 

The  following  plans  are  submitted  for  discussion  and  trial : 

First  Plan :  9  :  30  to  12  :  45  A.  m. 
Beginners  and  Primary  Departments 
9  :  30-10 :  00     Opening  Exercises :   worship,  prayer,  birthday  gift. 
10 :  00-10 :  30     Bible  story  told  and  retold. 
10 :  30-1 1 :  00     Expressional  work  :    sand  table,  handwork,  motion 

songs. 
11 :  00-11 :  30    Worship,  singing,  Bible  verses. 

Junior,  Intermediate,  and  Senior  Departments 
9  :  30-10 :  00     Opening  exercises  :    worship,   announcements,  extra 

Biblical  material. 
10 :  00-10 :  50    Lesson  study  and  discussion. 

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RELATIONSHIPS  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 


10:50-11:30 


11:30-12:45 


10:30-11:30 
11:30-12:45 


Worship  and  expression  of  the  devotional  Hfe  includ- 
ing the  offering  as  an  act  of  worship,  the  learning 
of  hymns,  the  recitation  of  passages  of  Scripture, 
devotional  talks,  voluntary  prayer,  and  expression 
of  ideas  by  young  people. 

Regular  church  worship.  Attendance  on  the  part  of 
children  and  young  people  optional. 

Adult  Department 
Bible  study  and  discussion. 
Church  worship  and  sermon. 


Alternate  Plan :   10 :  00  to  12 :  15  A.  M. 

In  tills  plan  the  worship  and  training  of  the  devotional  life  is  pro- 
vided for  in  the  church  worship,  which  is  adapted  to  the  needs  of  chil- 
dren and  young  people. 

10 :  00-10 :  15     Opening  exercises :  song  and  prayer. 

10 :  15-11 :  00     Bible  study  and  recitation. 

11 :  00-11 :  30    Regular  church  worship  attended  by  all  pupils. 

1 1 :  30-12  :  15     Children  under  eight  years  retire  for  children's  church. 

Children  nine,  ten,  and  eleven  years  retire  for  Junior 

church. 
11 :  30-12 :  15     Sermon  and  closing  service  adapted  to  the  needs  of 

boys  and  girls  twelve  years  and  over  who  remain 

in  the  church  proper. 

2.  Week-day  religious  instruction. — Along  with  the  course  of  re- 
Hgious  instruction  provided  for  Sunday,  the  Education  Committee 
should  turn  its  attention  to  bridging  the  long  gap  between  Sundays. 
One  principle  ought  to  be  kept  very  clearly  in  mind.  Any  extension 
of  the  work  into  the  week  should  be  carefully  correlated  with  the  work 
done  on  Sunday.  One  plan  is  to  have  the  children  in  the  grammar 
grades  stop  at  the  church  on  the  way  home  from  school  one  or  two 
afternoons  a  week  for  an  hour  of  instruction  in  Catechism,  missions, 
and  Bible  stories.  In  many  churches  there  is  a  four-year  graded 
course  through  which  the  children  pass.     Provision  is  made  for  young 

69 


THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

people  by  evening  classes  in  Church  history,  missions,  social  service, 
teacher-training,  and  so  forth. 

A  second  plan  for  children  in  the  grammar  grades  is  to  have  the 
school  board  arrange  to  dismiss  the  pupils  one  afternoon  a  week.  Each 
church  in  the  community  then  provides  two  hours  of  efficient  in- 
struction and  urges  the  parents  to  keep  their  children  in  attendance. 

3.  The  daily  vacation  Bible  school. — The  vacation  period  offers  a 
splendid  opportunity  for  the  Sunday  school  to  extend  its  work.  Pub- 
lic-school leaders  are  beginning  to  agitate  a  better  use  of  this  period 
for  educational  purposes.  The  Church  should  claim  it.  The  Presby- 
terian Church,  U.  S.  A.,  has  inaugurated  an  aggressive  movement  for 
vacation  Bible  schools  and  other  denominations  are  doing  the  same. 

4.  The  task  and  vision  of  the  Sunday  school. — In  the  eleventh 
chapter  of  Isaiah  the  prophet  has  a  vision  of  a  world  where  righteous- 
ness and  justice,  mercy  and  peace  shall  reign  because  of  the  coming  of 
the  just  and  holy  One.  Through  him  and  those  who  believe  on  him 
and  work  for  him  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  Jehovah. 
There  is  no  grander  vision  and  task  for  the  Sunday  school  than  this. 

In  the  fifty-fifth  chapter  of  Isaiah  we  have  the  promise  that  the 
Word  of  God  will  accomplish  God's  purpose  as  surely  as  there  is  seed- 
time and  harvest.  The  world  is  weary  of  that  which  is  not  bread; 
it  is  hungry  for  that  which  alone  satisfieth.  This  promise  will  not 
fail.  To  the  lonely  missionary  in  some  neglected  comer  of  the  earth, 
to  every  discouraged  teacher,  to  all  who  labor  and  hope  unceasingly 
for  the  final  triumph  of  Christ's  Kingdom,  this  promise  is  radiant 
with  the  dawning  light  of  a  great  day. 

Devotional  Thought. — Prayer  for  the  great  work  of  Christian  educa- 
tion throughout  the  world. 

TEST  QUESTIONS 

1.  Why  is  a  council  of  religious  education  desirable?  How  can  the 
Sunday  school  aid  in  establishing  religious  training  in  the  home? 

2.  To  what  extent  would  you  try  to  introduce  religion  into  the  pub- 
lic schools? 

3.  How  would  you  secure  more  time  for  reHgious  instruction  on 
Simday? 


70 


RELATIONSHIPS  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

SUGGESTED  READING 

Thwing.— "The  Family." 

Wood.— "Public  School  Credit  for  Outside  Bible  Study.'* 

A  handbook  on  the  daily  vacation  Bible  school,  also  pamphlets, 
may  be  obtained  from  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania. 

The  Council  of  Religious  Education  (a  free  pamphlet). 


ADDITIONAL  QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  IN  PREPARATION 
FOR  EXAMINATION 
A  thorough  discussion  and  review  of  each  lesson  under  the  guidance 
of  the  teacher  will  give  better  results  than  cramming  for  an  examina- 
tion. The  examination  questions  will  be  selected  from  the  questions 
and  suggestions  at  the  close  of  each  study  and  from  the  following  Hst. 
If  the  proper  preparation  has  been  made,  no  one  need  fail. 

Study  I. 
Describe  the  system  of  Hebrew  education  at  the  time  of  Christ. 
What  were  the  four  educational  principles  stated  by  Jesus? 

Study  II. 

Draw  up  a  plan  of  organization  for  a  Sunday  school  of  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  members  which  meets  in  a  church  where  three 
fair-sized  rooms  are  available. 

Study  III. 
Upon  what  fundamental  grounds  does  grading  rest? 
Give  the  reasons  for  and  against  the  putting  of  the  twelve-year-old 
child  into  the  Intermediate  group. 

Study  IV. 

Describe  the  organization  and  equipment  of  a  Junior  Department. 
How  can  the  Primary  and  Junior  teachers  cooperate  with  the  homes 
in  Christian  education? 

Study  V. 
Why  is  the  Intermediate  Department  of  such  vital  importance? 

What  are  the  advantages  of  an  ciganized  class? 

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THOROUGHLY  FURNISHED 

Study  VI. 
How  would  you  organize  and  conduct  an  adult  class  for  men  from 
twenty-five  to  forty-five  years  of  age?     Describe  a  class  for  young 
women. 
What  is  meant  by  extension  work? 

Study  VII. 
How  would  you  go  about  it  to  organize  a  small  mission  school  in 
your  community? 

Study  VIII. 
Describe  a  good  secretary;  a  system  for  keeping  records. 
How  can  the  teachers  help  the  secretary? 

Study  IX. 
How  can  a  teacher  influence  children  in  the  matter  of  their  life  work? 
What  is  the  value  of  the  community  institute? 

Study  X. 
Along  what  lines  will  the  Sunday  school  of  the  future  probably  de 

velop? 
Why  should  all  teachers  be  greatly  encouraged? 


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